Mal Fletcher

As an "imported" though nonetheless committed Brit, I find it hugely sad - and somewhat surreal - that a unique family of nations and the cradle of modern democracy, Great Britain, may soon be no more.

Tomorrow millions of Scots will go to the polls to cast their vote to remain within or wave goodbye to a three hundred year old political, economic and, on many levels, cultural union.

Arguably it should never have come to this. There were no riots or massive pro-independence demonstrations before Prime Minister Cameron agreed to a referendum.

All that had happened was that the Scottish National Party won power in the devolved Scottish Assembly.

Granted, it did so against the odds and had as one of its long-standing central platforms the notion of an independent Scottish nation. Yet the SNP leader Alex Salmond, either as candidate or as First Minister, was in no position to guarantee a referendum as that was within the purview of the UK government - which also, it must be remembered, contains elected Scottish representatives.

Mr Cameron clearly thought it a wise strategic move to accede to the SNP's demands. Perhaps he thought that a vote might once and for all knock out of the water any SNP claims about a mandate for independence.

It was a gamble he was never mandated to take - not by the wider population he is supposed to represent. It was a gamble in which England, Wales, Northern Ireland - and the great many Scots who, if polls are to be believed, would rather stay in the Union - had much to lose, unnecessarily.

As a result, more than 90 percent of the citizenry of the United Kingdom have no say in a vote that will impact everything from our economy, to healthcare, national security and much more.

If the stay-together option is rejected, our international standing will be reduced - possibly to a degree that is out of all proportion to the eight percent of our population that we've lost.

Already, geopolitical experts have made cogent arguments that Britain's influence in the world will be hugely diminished if the Yes vote wins the day.

Questions are being asked about whether Britain could justify its seat on the UN Security Council and, to a lesser degree, what influence she would maintain within NATO.

China has already expressed positive interest in seeing a breakup go ahead. Britain has long been a thorn in its side when it comes to human rights issues.

If independence goes ahead Russia will also - if not publicly then certainly privately - express delight that a constant irritant, on questions like human rights, has been weakened.

For these reasons and others even members of the US government and military have expressed disquiet - sometimes bordering on alarm - at the possibility of seeing an ally significantly weakened, both as a moral and military force.

With Britain's major nuclear facilities all being located in the north, important questions will emerge as to our national security if Scotland goes it alone.