Scotland's European roots run deep. Our laws grow from the same Roman seed that took root across the continent, sharing a common system of legal thought, long before the European community was ever thought of.
Adam Smith and David Hume helped light the candles of enlightenment which blazed across Europe, in a democratic dialogue arcing from Edinburgh to Paris, Warsaw to Amsterdam.
On 18 September, the people of Scotland have an opportunity to take our place in the family of nations, completing the journey of democratic self-government upon which we embarked in 1997. Many other countries, in Europe and beyond, have trodden the same path.
We seek merely the opportunity for Scotland to make its way in the world as a normal, peaceful and democratic country. We ask only for the opportunity to better the lives of our citizens; to extend a hand to those in our community who the UK government has abandoned.
Our parliament in Edinburgh has extensive powers over health, justice, education, and much else besides, but key decisions about our future – on social security, economic policy, defence and foreign affairs – are taken by London governments increasingly isolated from our interests.
"I'm tired of being told that we can't do things differently, that we don't have the power to change our communities and to address the challenges we see all around us2
I'm tired of being told that we can't do things differently, that we don't have the power to change our communities and to address the challenges we see all around us, from the poverty of children, to the generation of young people struggling to make their way in this tough economy.
With independence, Scotland will have every economic lever to hand to address these critical issues and foster a better society. We ask only for the opportunity to exercise the same autonomy, the same responsibility, as any other nation state, to shape our politics to our needs and principles.
This referendum isn't about separation, but about finding new ways of working together. It isn't about identity, or flags and anthems, but self-government and democracy. The question for Scots is not whether they feel Scottish or British, but what kind of politics and culture we wish to build together, and how we face down the many challenges that face us.
It is about the principles we bring to those hard choices. Nobody can make better decisions about the future of Scotland than the people who live and work here. Independence is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve those greater ends.
We recognise that independence goes hand in hand with interdependence. As the deputy first minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon recognised in Brussels last year, our “sense of nationalism goes together with internationalism”.
Scotland stands ready to be a responsible, constructive European citizen – an outward-looking country, cooperating with our neighbours, promoting the ideals of human rights, peace, freedom, justice and the rule of law.
"As David Cameron ratchets up his threats and menaces, denouncing the basic liberties of the European convention on human rights, and raising the spectre of crashing out of the EU altogether, Scotland has an opportunity to pursue a different future"
The contrast with the UK government's vision could not be starker. As David Cameron ratchets up his threats and menaces, denouncing the basic liberties of the European convention on human rights, and raising the spectre of crashing out of the EU altogether, Scotland has an opportunity to pursue a different future.
A future where we work together across this continent to secure a shared prosperity and security.
If Scots vote 'yes' on 18 September, Europe can look across the North Sea with confidence that it will find a constructive ally and friend in Scotland.
A European nation at once new and old, cultivating its old friendships and striving to find new forms of cooperation, forward-looking, civic, working for the commonwealth. That's the independence I believe in.