Hands across the Border: help build a cairn tomorrow

The "Hands across the Border" campaign, a group of people who whether they are Scottish, English, Welsh, Irish or simply British, wish to show that we value the Union will be building a cairn at Gretna on the Anglo-Scots Border, starting tomorrow (Sunday 20th July) from shortly after mid-day with the first stones to be laid shortly before 2pm.

The cairn is to be called "The Auld Acquaintance" which, obviously, is a reference to the traditional Scottish poem and song "Auld Lang Syne," which was first written down by the great Scots poet Robbie Burns and is about the wisdom of preserving old friendships.

Directions to the event can be found at the "Hands across the Border" website here.

I believe that all parts of the UK have gained more than they have lost from the Union over the past three hundred years and that all parts of these islands would be worse off if that union were dissolved. I will be laying a stone tomorrow both in the hope that the union endures after the Scottish referendum in a few weeks time and to mark the fact that, however Scotland votes, the Union of the four nations of the United Kingdom has been a force for good.

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