A few of the remarks and comments and pointers to articles about the Scottish Independence Referendum that we have found today.
People living in Scotland are invited to vote in the referendum on independence from the United Kingdom on 18 September 2014. The referendum question is “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
Whether you intend voting Yes or No to that question, your views, and those of others, have a place here. We invite comments and we also invite you to write about what you think by using our Submit your Story feature here.
Better Together do have leaflet drops but most of these seem to be taking place in the West of the country.
More details on their website here about how to volunteer and where the events are being held.
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Support for a Yes vote in September’s independence referendum is growing dramatically, according to a new poll published today.The ICM poll for Scotland on Sunday shows that Yes now needs a swing of just over three percentage points to take the lead, with eight months still to go until the vote.It puts support for Yes at 37% – up five points from as similar poll in September – with support for No dipping five points to 44%.But when the 19% of undecided voters were pressed to indicate how they were likely to vote, support for Yes rose to 47% – only six points behind No. This means that a swing of just over three points is needed to put Yes into the lead.Scotland on Sunday says that if the progress recorded over the last four months is replicated in the eight months remaining until the September 18 referendum, the Yes campaign is in course to win.The paper adds that ‘the figures represent the largest backing for Yes to be recorded in an independently-commissioned survey’ since campaigning began in May 2012.The poll also shows:• Increasing numbers of people believe a Yes vote will benefit Scotland’s economy• A 26% surge in support for Yes among 16-24-year-olds• A significant rise in support for Yes among women• Rising numbers of people believe a Yes vote will lead to higher pensions• A growing belief there will be more equality in an independent ScotlandToday Blair Jenkins, Chief Executive of Yes Scotland, welcomed the results of the poll, saying they confirmed that as more people learned about the benefits of independence the more likely they were to vote Yes.He said: ‘A potential Yes vote of 47% at this stage is an excellent place to be with eight months to go. It demonstrates very clearly that we are getting our message across and that momentum is very much on our side.‘The poll represents a very significant swing to Yes and shows that we need just over a three percent swing to take the lead.‘It is particularly encouraging that there is a large increase in support among young people aged between 16 and 24, and a five point increase in support among women.‘A four point rise in the number of people who believe independence will be good for the economy is also a welcome shift in our favour.‘The message, too, is getting across that by taking Scotland’s future into Scotland’s hands we can build a fairer and more equal country. We can also build a more prosperous country where our vast wealth and resources are used more effectively. The fact that an increasing number of people believe pensions will be higher in an independent Scotland helps underline that point.‘We know that the more people learn about the benefits of independence the more likely they are to vote Yes.‘Significant numbers of people will by now have had a chance to assess the Scottish Government’s White Paper for an independent Scotland. That, along with the quality information that we and other groups within the Yes movement continue to produce, sets out a compelling vision of what an independent Scotland can be like.‘People are now also carefully weighing up the consequences and costs of a No vote and, as a result, support for Yes increases.‘The referendum is about two choices. One is sticking with a Westminster system that isn’t working for Scotland. The other is a unique opportunity to make decisions that match our own needs and priorities, to better use our vast wealth and resources for the benefit of all people in Scotland and to build a fairer country of which we can all be proud.‘Only a Yes vote can deliver that opportunity. We still have a lot of hard work to do to convince more people that Yes is the right choice for them, their families and for Scotland but this poll shows that we are moving in the right direction.’In its editorial column headlined ‘Break point to Yes team’, Scotland on Sunday describes the poll as a ‘landmark moment’ in the referendum campaign.It says: ‘Not only does it record the biggest Yes vote from an independently-commissioned poll in this campaign, it also puts independence within the grasp of those fighting for it.‘If, between now and polling day in September, the Yes camp gains as much support as it has gained in the past four months, then it will have won a victory that will echo around the world and be written indelibly into the history books.’
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CARMICHAEL URGED BY SNP TO APOLOGISE FOR TALKING DOWN LEADING SCOTTISH BUSINESS
Scotland Secretary Alistair Carmichael has been urged to apologise for talking down a leading Scottish business after the UK Government’s latest report on borders and citizenship wrongly claimed that any future expansion of Edinburgh airport was “limited”.
The report was also criticised by the airport itself, with a spokesman saying: “We found the description of Edinburgh Airport in the Scotland Office’s Borders paper both surprising and unhelpful…For the avoidance of any doubt, we will never turn airlines away and work extremely hard to give Scottish passengers the routes they desire.”
Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Keir, whose constituency Edinburgh Western includes the airport, said:-“It is appalling that, in their desperation to scaremonger about independence, the UK government is prepared to talk down one of Scotland’s leading businesses. Alistair Carmichael should apologise and publicly correct his claims.
“The UK Government’s analysis series has lurched from one calamity to the next – and simply serves to highlight how Westminster is wrong on borders, wrong on the common travel area and wrong on the performance of Edinburgh’s excellent airport.
“Previously Edinburgh has been named a Best Airport in Europe and with expansion plans in the pipeline its future is going from strength to strength.
“This success is in spite of the crippling effect of Westminster’s Air Passenger Duty on the aviation industry.
“Yet again we are reminded why Scotland needs a Yes vote to allow us to have full control over our aviation industry.”
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Better Together have a page of videos from people around the country who believe in the Union. If you would like to add yours then click here.
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Another economic expert has rubbished the SNP’s plan for a currency union if Scotland leaves the UK.
John Nugée, a former senior manager at the Bank of England, Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the European Investment Bank, said that a deal on a currency union “is not in Alex Salmond’s power single-handedly.”
The economic expert said that “agreeing to a monetary union with another state would involve the continuing UK giving up some of its sovereignty in monetary and fiscal policy – something the UK is conspicuously unwilling to do with its EU partners.”
Better Together will this week publish a document summarising the currency debate including the opinions of 50 experts who have criticised the SNP’s assertion that a separate Scotland would be able to keep the Pound. The experts include Alex Salmond’s former adviser, former Deputy Governors of the Bank of England and the representatives of Scotland’s financial services industry – which employs 200,000 people in Scotland.
Better Together Leader Alistair Darling said:
“The SNP’s plans for a currency union are looking increasingly dead in the water. The views of the long list of respected experts we have published today, including John Nugée, make it clear that agreeing a deal with what would then be a foreign country is very unlikely and wouldn’t work.
“The choice we face is clear – believe Alex Salmond or believe the experts and the facts.
“Alex Salmond needs to tell us what his Plan B on currency is. Would we have our own currency or would we join the Euro? It’s not just about what coins we have in our pockets. The currency we use has a huge impact on our mortgages, wages, savings, business borrowing and more.
“This is the biggest decision people in Scotland will ever be asked to make, so we deserve the facts. We are being asked to take a huge leap into the unknown. When Alex Salmond can’t even tell us what currency we will have in our pocket it’s little wonder people aren’t willing to take the risk.”
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Commenting on reports that Yes Scotland’s remaining two senior directors have left the campaign, Better Together Campaign Director Blair McDougall said:-“It now looks like Yes Scotland’s refusal to release details of donations is an attempt to cover up a campaign in crisis. They must now come clean and disclose their donors.
“A campaign with a genuine breadth of support simply would not be in financial meltdown.”
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Using Burns Immortal Memory as a catalyst for a speech based on the need for the UK to stay together here is John Barrowman:-
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The Edinburgh Reporter collates a variety of views on independence which we find across the media.
If you would like to write about your views on independence then please feel free to submit your article using the Submit your Story feature here. The Edinburgh Reporter does not have a stance on the independence question, but hopes to help you make your mind up about the vote on 18 September 2014 by providing as much unbiased coverage as possible.
There are two main websites where you can obtain further information:-
Yes Scotland can be found here
Better Together has a website here
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
Why are you just advertising campaigning with Better Together? Clearly a very very biased outlet.
Clearly you have not read the whole article. We are not biased in any way shape or form. As our whole article explains.
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