Better Together – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Scotland says No Thanks

The people of Scotland have voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. Voters came out in unprecedented numbers to have their say on independence – and an emphatic majority decided that separation is a step too far.

By 6.15am, with 31 of 32 counts declared, Better Together has 1,914,187 votes while Yes Scotland has 1,539,920 – an unassailable lead.

Edinburgh’s result was declared just before 6am (picture above), and despite predictions that the result would be close, a clear majority of the capital’s citizens voted to remain part of the union. Edinburgh voted No: 194, 638 (60.19%), Yes: 123,927 (39.81%).

Many people believed that the Better Together campaign was too negative and handed the initiative to a vibrant Yes Scotland bandwagon, but voters agreed with the unionist parties that ‘it’s not worth the risk’.

First Minister Alex Salmond will make a statement later this morning, but Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC of a “real sense of disappointment that we have fallen narrowly short of securing a ‘Yes’ vote”.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “I’ve spoken to Alistair Darling (pictured above) and congratulated him on a well-fought campaign.” He too is expected to make a further statement this morning.

While the result will be a bitter disappointment for almost half of the nation, there are positives to be taken from the campaign, whatever side of the debate you’re on. All across the country people have engaged in politics once again. This was the campaign where the people took democracy back.

And now, at the end of a gruelling thirty-month campaign that has split the country, it’s time to build bridges. One of the few things on which politicians of both sides agree is that politics has changed forever, and it’s to be hoped that all of the energy, positivity and enthusiasm that was poured into the campaign can be harnessed for the collective good of our nation. There’s an awful lot of work to be done.

Yes, the people have spoken – and this time the politicians really had better listen.

Referendum: latest poll says it’s neck and neck

Politicians say they pay no attention to them, but with only ten days to go until Scotland Decides the analysts, the campaign teams, the anoraks and yes, the politicians – will be poring over the latest opinion polls …

The latest polls indicate that the gap between Yes and No voting intentions has narrowed significantly and that the referendum result really is now too close to call. What is certain is that both Yes Scotland and Better Together now face ten days of last ditch campaigning to convince undecided voters to support their cause.

A YouGov poll published in the Sunday Times today shows that Yes support has surged to 51 per cent – up 12 points since the YouGov poll in early August, with No down 12 points.

The findings give Yes its best result so far in any poll of the campaign – Yes has reached 51 per cent, with No dropping to 49 per cent, once ‘don’t knows’ are excluded.

Meanwhile, Yes Scotland published findings from a new poll, commissioned by the Yes campaign and conducted by Panelbase, which finds a record high of 47 per cent support for independence among women, with the gender gap between male and female Yes support virtually closed.

The overall support for Yes in the Panelbase poll is 48 per cent, excluding undecideds. When undecideds are included, Yes support is at 44 per cent – the highest recorded by Panelbase so far.

The Panelbase poll also finds that an overwhelming majority of people in Scotland believe that the referendum is something to be proud of – by 69 per cent to 15 per cent.

Commenting on the YouGov poll, Yes Scotland’s chief executive, Blair Jenkins, said: ‘This breakthrough poll shows that Yes has the big momentum – it’s an all-time high for Yes support in the campaign, and a 12-point swing from No to Yes in the last month. Yes support is rising particularly strongly among women – and already over a third of Labour voters plan to vote Yes.

‘While this poll puts us marginally ahead, other polls show that we still have more progress to make if we are to win. We will be working flat out between now and 18 September to ensure that we achieve a Yes vote, because it’s the biggest opportunity the people of Scotland will ever have to build a fairer society and more prosperous economy.

‘Scotland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. More and more people are beginning to realise that a Yes vote is Scotland’s one opportunity to make that enormous wealth work better for everyone who lives here, create more jobs, and protect Scotland’s NHS from the damaging effects of Westminster privatisation and cuts.

‘While the No campaign press the panic button and blame each other for a series of blunders, Yes will get on with the job of persuading more of our fellow citizens – both No and undecided voters – that we need a Yes vote to put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.’

Welcoming the polls, and discussing the detail of the Panelbase poll, the Deputy First Minister and Yes Scotland Advisory Board member Nicola Sturgeon said: “These are exceptionally positive and encouraging figures – and the Panelbase poll shows record support for independence among women. Compared to earlier this year, female support for Yes is up 13 points.

“There is no doubt from my own experience that as women weigh up the issues – particularly the need for the powers of independence to protect Scotland’s NHS, and to put bairns before bombs by transforming childcare and getting rid of Trident – they are choosing Yes in significantly increasing numbers.

“Yes still has a lot of work to do to win on the 18th, we remain the underdogs, but we approach the final 10 days with huge enthusiasm and confidence.

“A positive finding that everyone can unite on – whether Yes or No – is that overwhelmingly people in Scotland believe that deciding our future in a democratic referendum is something we can be very proud of as a nation. The referendum has engaged many people who have never voted before in their lives, filled public halls the length and breadth of the country, and ushered in a sense of possibility and creativity.

“The challenge for all of us is to unite as a country once the decision is made, and do everything we can to maintain this boost in democratic participation that the referendum has ushered in.”

Better Together’s Jim Murphy – back on his 100 towns in 100 days tour – said earlier this week that the only poll that matters is the poll on 18 September, and yesterday the unionist side turned their attention to the independence campaign’s welfare plans – they insist the Yes Scotland figures just don’t add up.

The economy is seen as the key battleground in the referendum – many believe that whoever wins the argument over Scotland’s finances will win the vote.

Better Together says new analysis has shown that the SNP’s uncosted promises on welfare don’t add up, and that leaving the UK would put the money we have to support vulnerable Scots at risk. The campaign to keep the union says that a separate Scotland would face an extra £6 billion worth of spending cuts.

The Better Together website says:

New analysis from Better Together has shown the devastating impact this would have on our welfare state.

£6 billion is

Almost 90% of the pensions bill in Scotland
Six times the child benefit bill in Scotland
Three times what we spend on disability benefits in Scotland

The nationalists are asking us to take risks that we simply don’t have to take. Staying part of the UK means we can have more powers for Scotland on tax and welfare, without taking on the risks of independence.

The Nationalists have claimed in their White Paper that they would abolish the bedroom tax, but yesterday two thirds of their MPs couldn’t even be bothered to turn up to vote against it .

The White Paper contains no policy which redistributes wealth from the rich to the poor. The only redistributive policy it has is a tax cut which would take nearly £400 million out of our budget and deliver it into the pockets of the chief executives of the likes of Google, Starbucks and Amazon.

We had the spectacle of Elaine C Smith, representing the Yes Campaign in a TV debate, failing to name a single policy which, with independence, would improve the lives of working class people.

Elaine’s excuse was that she is not a politician – not a defence that could be trotted out by SNP Minister Humza Yousaf who also failed the test in a television interview the next day, as he failed to name a single redistributive policy.’

Jackie Baillie MSP, Scottish Labour’s Social Justice, Equalities and Welfare spokesperson, said: “The welfare state is one of the UK’s proudest achievements. It was founded on the basis of need, not nationality, so that those who fall on hard times get the support they need.

“To make that founding principle a reality we need to be able to fund our welfare state. Independence puts that at risk. The experts at the impartial Institute for Fiscal Studies are clear that leaving the UK would mean an extra £6 billion of cuts.

“The SNP’s welfare claims simply don’t add up. Alex Salmond needs to tell people in Scotland how his welfare promises would be paid for when independence would bring about austerity plus.

“It is those in the greatest need who would suffer most from the cuts that independence would cause. The nationalists are trying to deceive some of the most vulnerable people in Scotland. This is a risk that we just don’t need to take.

“We have a better vision for Scotland. It’s one where there are more powers for Scotland guaranteed, including more powers over tax and welfare, without taking on all the risks of independence. We should say no thanks to that risk.”

STILL UNDECIDED? WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE REFERENDUM?

Come and join Women’s International Group (WIG) for a coffee and blether about the referendum at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre this Thursday (11 September) from 10 – 11.30am. All welcome.

Alexander: ‘best of both worlds’

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander sets out why he believes being part of the UK is helping Scotland’s economy grow and create jobs …

This week I will be travelling across the breadth and width of Scotland, from east to west and from north to south, talking to businesses and families about the issues that matter to them.

I will visit a range of companies, representing many of Scotland’s key sectors like life sciences, financial services, tourism, manufacturing and the creative industries.

I am certain that the one common thread which will emerge during my travels is this: the economy of Scotland is rich, diverse and prosperous, with huge and exciting opportunities ahead of us. But our present strength and our future potential come from the fact that we are – and I believe we should remain – part of the United Kingdom.

There’s little doubt that the UK and Scottish economies are recovering strongly. Scotland has now seen seven quarters of continuous growth. And that impressive performance is contributing to the strength of the UK economy: data released on Friday showed that the UK has grown by 3.2% in the past year.

This means that our economy is now recovering faster than all our major international competitors like the US, Germany, Japan or France.

What’s more, independent experts predict that the UK will continue to lead the pack over the rest of this year and grow faster than any other G7 nation.

With more economic growth we’re also seeing more jobs. Since 2010 some 1.8 million additional jobs have been created across the UK, as part of that there are almost 160,000 new jobs in Scotland.

There are now more Scots in work – some 2.6 million – than ever before.

The strength of our labour market means we can continue to reduce unemployment in Scotland, including among our young people: new data released last week showed the biggest fall in UK-wide youth unemployment since records began.

All the evidence shows that being part of the UK is helping Scotland’s economy grow and create jobs.

One reason for this is that Scottish companies do most of their trade with the rest of the UK.

Almost 70% of Scotland’s exports go to England, Wales and Northern Ireland – more than to the every other country in the world combined. As a single state, the UK shares common regulations and a bigger marketplace where people can move freely, all of this makes it far easier to do business.

Being part of the UK is also good for jobs. New analysis published last week showed that almost 270,000 jobs in Scotland – more than one in every ten jobs – is dependent on trade with the rest of the UK.

This includes 45,000 manufacturing jobs and 180,000 jobs in the services industries, all of which benefit from the larger single integrated market available as part of the UK.

Many of these jobs are in the key industrial sectors which I will be visiting over the coming week.

We have a top financial and professional services sector. We are world-leaders in renewable energy. Aberdeen is a global hub for oil and gas expertise. We have a state-of-the-art life sciences sector. We have a vibrant creative industries scene, concentrated around Dundee and Glasgow.

All these sectors are thriving precisely because Scotland benefits from the broad shoulders and economic stability that come from being part of the UK.

I am in no doubt that the ingenuity and hard-work of the Scottish people is one of our greatest assets – an asset that will yield even more success as part of the UK.

And that’s because the UK offers stability and strength, with certainty about our currency, better funded public services and safer savings and pensions.

And with a more powerful Scottish Parliament we can have the best of both worlds, so that we can find Scottish solutions to Scottish issues while remaining part of a stronger United Kingdom.

We should all be incredibly proud of everything Scotland has achieved. Let’s make sure that our children and grandchildren can be even more successful as part of the United Kingdom.

Jury’s still out after referendum debate

A record TV audience of 1.3 million viewers watched the referendum debate in Scotland on Tuesday evening. Better Together leader Alistair Darling went head-to-head with First Minister Alex Salmond in the two hour debate and – here’s a shock – both camps claim victory for their man!

The two-hour live programme aired on STV after the broadcaster secured the first televised referendum debate between the leaders of the respective campaigns.

The debate,presented by John MacKay and moderated by STV’s political editor Bernard Ponsonby, was held at Glasgow’s Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before a studio audience of 350 voters.

The politicians clashed on a range of issues – currency, EU membership, poverty, and political sovereignty were all debated in a series of sometimes heated exchanges.

With the stakes so high, it was little wonder that both men ‘wobbled’ during the session – Mr Salmond when pressed by the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer on whether an independent Scotland would be able to reach a sterling-sharing agreement with the rest of the UK, and Mr Darling when repeatedly asked by the First minister to clarify whether he thought Scotland could succeed as an independent nation.

A poll conducted by ICM for The Guardian immediately after the debate found 56% of voters declaring Mr Darling the winner, with Mr Salmond trailing on 44% – a view generally shared by the media.

However the Yes Scotland campaign heralded polls showing their share of voters intentions picked up by 4% following ‘Scotland Decides’, with more undecided voters seemingly inclined to vote Yes.

Better Together said Mr Salmond had been ‘skewered’ by Alistair Darling in the TV debate, and added that the First Minister’s failure to map out his Plan B on currency means more Scots are saying No Thanks to separation.

Earlier, ahead of the debate, leaders of the three major unionist parties signed a joint letter supporting the devolution of further powers to Scotland, including in “fiscal responsibility and social security”.

Labour’s Ed Miliband, Conservative David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg all signed the letter, as did their Scottish leaders Johann Lamont, Ruth Davidson and Willie Rennie. Plans for these powers, which would be drawn up fully following a “No” vote.

The letter reads:

Power lies with the Scottish people and we believe it is for the Scottish people to decide how Scotland is governed.

We believe that the pooling and sharing of resources across the United Kingdom is to Scotland’s benefit in a partnership of nations in which distinct national identities can flourish and be celebrated.

We believe that Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole have been strengthened since the advent of devolution.

We support a strong Scottish Parliament in a strong United Kingdom and we support the further strengthening of the Parliament’s powers.

The three parties delivered more powers for Holyrood through the Calman Commission which resulted in the Scotland Act 2012.

We now pledge to strengthen further the powers of the Scottish Parliament, in particular in the areas of fiscal responsibility and social security. We believe that Scotland should have a stronger Scottish Parliament while retaining full representation for Scotland in the UK Parliament. That can bring people together from all of Scotland, from civic society and every community.

The Scottish Labour Party, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrats have each produced our own visions of the new powers which the Scottish Parliament needs.

We shall put those visions before the Scottish people at the next general election and all three parties guarantee to start delivering more powers for the Scottish Parliament as swiftly as possible in 2015.

This commitment will deliver a stronger Scottish Parliament in a stronger United Kingdom.

That commitment doesn’t go far enough for everone, however, and the Scottish Greens are among those to argue that only self-government will create a fair Scotland.

Green Yes, the Scottish Green Party’s campaign for a Yes vote in the independence referendum, welcomed comments by the First Minister on the opportunity to create a more just society during the TV debate.

Commenting on the debate, Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and a member of Holyrood’s economy committee, said: “None of the arguments was new to those of us who’ve been on the campaign trail for the past two years but so many people are only now switching on. Alex Salmond highlighted the opportunity to end austerity and improve our democracy.

“I was also pleased to hear the First Minister highlight the opportunity we have to adopt a more welcoming immigration policy, retaining skilled workers instead of kicking them out as the three big UK parties would have us do.

“Alistair Darling – my MP – highlighted what he called the risks of independence, failing to acknowledge that a No vote also contains risks. He kept referring to strength and security, which probably sounds attractive if you’re well off but is simply meaningless if you’re one of the many Scots struggling to make ends meet.

“As our political system demands a winner and a loser we have an adversarial debate that isn’t best suited to those seeking information. I hope we hear a wider range of voices and visions over the remaining six weeks.”

Did you watch the debate? Impressed? Will it change the way you vote?

Let us know!

First class? More Referendum information’s heading your way

There was a brief lull in hostilities during the Commonwealth Games, but normal business will be resumed next week: the Referendum’s back.

Both Westminster and Holyrood governments will be keeping your postie busy …

Second UK Government information leaflet to be sent to Scottish households ahead of Scottish independence referendum

People across Scotland will receive a second information leaflet from the UK Government through their letterboxes next week, setting out the five main benefits of remaining part of the UK.

It will be sent to each Scottish household and follows a booklet sent out in June which made the positive and detailed case for Scotland remaining part of the UK. The move comes in response to the public’s frequent requests for more information ahead of the referendum vote on 18 September.

The latest leaflet will explain the five main benefits Scotland gains as part of the UK.

They are:

Keeping the UK pound – one of the strongest and most stable currencies in the world.
Cheaper bills – with the UK’s financial standing keeping interest rates lower than they would be otherwise and energy bills up to £189 lower each year
More jobs – hundreds of thousands of Scottish jobs are connected to borderless trade as part of the UK
More support for public services – Scotland currently benefits from public spending per person that is around 10% higher than the UK average
With less than 50 days to go until the referendum, the UK Government is ensuring people have as much information as possible to allow them to make an informed decision

The leaflet also accompanies the UK Government’s YouDecide online tool which allows people in Scotland to explore how being part of the UK benefits their home, work and family life – www.youdecide2014.uk

The leaflets will cost around 12p each, with a total cost of around £300,000.

Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said: “We are only weeks away from the most important decision we will ever make as a country. A decision to leave the UK is forever and cannot be reversed. We need to make sure we get it right. People in Scotland need to have the facts before they vote on 18 September.

“With every passing week it becomes ever clearer the Scottish Government has not thought this through properly. They are blinded by their passion for independence. They have no plan on currency, no plan on pensions and no idea how much it would all cost.

“People want credible and reliable information to help them make their decision on independence. Our new leaflet highlights the five main benefits for Scotland of remaining part of the UK.

“We hold on to the pound. We keep bills lower as part of a larger UK. Public spending per person is ten per cent higher in Scotland than the UK average. Two-thirds of our trade is with the rest of the UK because we have no international border and that helps protect Scottish jobs.

“We have a Scottish Parliament that makes decisions on things like health and education. From next year, the Scottish Parliament will be getting even more powers to set tax rates and decide if and when to borrow money. Devolution brings very clear benefits that would end with independence.”

The Scottish Government will also send out their own short guide to the opportunities of independence.

The new 12-page guide, which will outline the opportunities of independence, is being posted out to all 2.5 million households in Scotland from next week.

From tomorrow (Monday 4 August) every household in Scotland will receive their own copy of ‘Scotland’s Future – What Independence Means for You’, which sets out how the wealth of Scotland can be used to benefit the people who live and work here.

The short guide will also be translated into fifteen languages – with braille and audio versions also being produced – and will become available online from Sunday.

The distribution of this guide to independence follows the publication of the 670-page Scotland’s Future, which has now been ordered by over 140,000 people.

The guide will explain how:

• Scotland can more than afford to be independent – we have generated more tax per head than the UK for each of the last 33 years.
• New job opportunities can be created in an independent Scotland by tailoring economic policy for Scotland’s needs.
• Different spending decisions – such as scrapping Trident – could save £600 million a year.
• Independence will bring greater financial security for families – for example, by increasing the Minimum Wage and transforming childcare.

A separate guide will also be posted from Monday to residents of Scotland’s islands next week – setting out the opportunities of independence to empower our unique island communities.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured above) said: ““Independence is not a magic wand – but it is undoubtedly the greatest chance we will ever have to shift the balance of opportunity in Scotland’s favour and make our wealth work better for everyone who lives here.

“We are one of the richest countries in the world, with a higher GDP per head than France, Japan and the UK. But for far too many people in Scotland it doesn’t feel that way. This guide sets out why we’re better off with Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.

“It is crucial that everyone in Scotland is armed with the facts and has a clear picture of the opportunities to change their lives for the better with independence.

“There is certainly an appetite for this information – with over 140,000 orders for Scotland’s Future already received – and our new guide makes it even easier to get the key facts quickly and easily.

“Scotland has the people, skills and resources to be a strong independent country, and this guide will set out how we can build on that.

“With independence we’ll have an economic policy that will put Scotland first – with a plan to reindustrialise Scotland, use the tax system to provide business with the incentives to create jobs and take advantage of our increased international profile to benefit the economy.

“The economic tools and powers to transform our employment and social policy will make it easier for parents to balance work and family life. For too long our hands have been tied by decisions made at Westminster – often by governments with no majority in Scotland.

“No one else will do a better job of running our country than the people of Scotland – because no one else has a bigger stake in its success. It is essential that all voters have the chance to make an informed choice on September 18 and this guide will help to ensure that this is the case.”

They’re here!

More powers for Holyrood pledge as constitution consultation launched

A fresh start for Scotland, or increased powers within the UK? The SNP launched a consultation on a written constitution yesterday while the three main pro-union parties promised further devolution …

Everyone in Scotland will be asked to have their say on a draft Bill which will set out how an independent Scotland will be governed, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday.

The draft Scottish Independence Bill is now open for public consultation and includes details on how an independent Scotland could prepare a permanent written constitution in a fully participative process led by the people.

The Bill also sets out immediate arrangements for independence – such as the role of government, human rights and the rule of law – and would form the interim written constitution.

The fundamental principle underpinning the Bill is that the people are sovereign – rather than Parliament, as is the case in the UK. The United Kingdom is the only country in the European Union, and the only country in the Commonwealth, which does not currently have a written constitution or Constitution Act.

The interim constitution proposes an obligation to advance towards nuclear disarmament, the strengthening of human rights protection, the safeguarding of the wellbeing of children and protection for the particular needs of local government and island communities.

In a speech at University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Constitutional Law, Ms Sturgeon said: “The great national debate we are engaged in is an intensely practical debate about how independence can improve the lives of people in Scotland.

“The key constitutional and practical point here is that with independence the Scottish Parliament can deliver an economic policy tailored to our needs and designed to take advantage of our great wealth. We will be able to retain the proceeds of growth in our economy in the form of increased tax revenues.

“With independence, Scotland will be a national economy with all the tools of other independent states. Independence as our constitutional future puts the practical responsibility into our own hands.

“A written constitution can be the foundation on which we can build that better Scotland.

“A written constitution is an important part of a nation’s identity – it defines who we are and sets out the values that we hold dear. It would be our ‘Scottish Declaration of Independence’, founded on the principle that in Scotland, the people are sovereign, not the Government or the Parliament.

“Our draft Scottish Independence Bill, and its accompanying consultation paper, set out our proposals for the steps that will follow a vote for independence to provide Scotland with a robust platform to make the transition. The Bill also sets out the framework for the Constitutional Convention that will follow independence and will develop Scotland’s permanent written constitution.

“This Scottish Government has set out some of the proposals that it would make to that Convention for the permanent constitution. But the process of creating the constitution – the engagement by the people in it – will be as important in many ways as its contents. As well as political parties and civic society, the process should ensure that the sovereign people of Scotland are centrally involved in designing and determining a written constitution as the blueprint for our country’s future.

“This principle – of the sovereignty of the people – is also key to the argument for independence. The people who have the biggest stake in a successful Scotland are those who live and work here. There are better outcomes for Scotland when decisions about Scotland are made in Scotland by the people of Scotland. Sovereignty means the people of Scotland always getting the government we vote for to govern our country the way we want.

“Currently we are without a written constitution, and the UK is the only country within the European Union or the Commonwealth that does not have a written constitution or a Constitution Act. But on September 18th the people of Scotland will be sovereign as they make the decision on Scotland’s future. Only with independence can we keep that power over our own destiny.

“This is a very exciting time and I would encourage everyone to have their say on the Bill. It is an exciting and unique opportunity to shape our nation, celebrate and protect our values and commit ourselves to building a better country.”

While Nicola Sturgeon was launching the Bill, the three main opposition parties – all pro-Union – produced a joint statement promising to deliver further devolution to Scotland by increasing Holyrood’s powers.

The Better Together statement – made by Scottish party leaders Ruth Davidson (Conservative), Johann Lamont (Labour) and Lib-Dem Willie Rennie (pictured above) – guarantees further control over fiscal matters and social security.

The leaders said: “We support a strong Scottish Parliament in a strong United Kingdom and we support the further strengthening of the parliament’s powers. The three parties delivered more powers for Holyrood through the Calman Commission which resulted in the Scotland Act 2012.

“We now pledge to further strengthen the powers of the Scottish Parliament, in particular in the areas of fiscal responsibility and social security. We believe that Scotland should have a stronger Scottish Parliament while retaining full representation for Scotland at Westminster.”

100 days: campaigns gear up for final push

One hundred days and counting …

Both sides in the Scottish independence debate are today marking the milestone of 100 days to go in the referendum campaign. Yes Scotland campaigners say that the momentum is with them and that poll gaps are narrowing but the Better Together campaign says the campaign for independence is ‘running out of time’.

The referendum will be held on 18 September, with voters asked the straightforward Yes/No question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”

Opinion polls consistently suggest that the “No” campaign is still ahead, but the “Yes” campaign claims the gap has significantly narrowed over recent months – and, crucially, many people have said they have still to make up their minds.

The nationalists are running out of arguments and running out of time, Alistair Darling, the leader of Better Together, said this morning. The former Chancellor was speaking at the Better Together event marking 100 campaign days to go until the referendum vote in September.

He said that the strong, positive offer of further powers for Scotland by the three main parties backing a No vote means the ground has shifted under the nationalist case for breaking up the UK.

The Glasgow event featured messages from ordinary Scots making their 100 day pledge – a commitment to do what they can over the next 100 days to make sure Scotland stays in the UK.

The Better Together leader went on to say that the choice facing the people of Scotland isn’t one between Scotland and Britain or change and the status quo: the choice is between two competing Scottish visions of Scotland’s future.

Alistair Darling told supporters: “Our opponents have spent months trying – and failing – to come up with evidence to support their goal of separation. And now with just one hundred days of campaigning left the nationalists are running out of arguments – and they are running out of time.

“The choice on September 18 will not be between Scotland and Britain. It will be a choice between two competing Scottish visions of Scotland’s future.

“And something fundamental has changed in that choice since I launched our campaign two years ago. At that time some of those who were still undecided saw the referendum as a choice between change and the status quo. Now – with 100 days to go – the terms of trade have changed. And with it the ground has shifted under – and against – our nationalist opponents.

“For it is now clear that a No vote will bring more powers to Scotland within the UK. Last week, the Scottish Conservatives produced their proposals for the enhanced powers of the Scottish Parliament. All three main Scottish parties backing a No vote now have broadly similar proposals in place.

“There is much that divides us on other issues. But on the constitution – the framework within which legislation is made – we are all now pretty much on the same page.

“And that leads me logically to my 100 day challenge.

“I want to use these 100 days not to see Scotland divided further but to bring together most of us in this nation around a common vision of Scotland leading the United Kingdom after September 18 – not Scotland leaving the United Kingdom.

“I want to use these 100 days to plan for Scotland’s positive, possibility-rich future as part of the United Kingdom with substantially enhanced powers for the Scottish Parliament.

“It is a vision that the overwhelming majority of us want. And so when voters go to the polls on September 18, I want every voter to understand that within the United Kingdom change and progress is coming to Scotland, under-pinned by the commitments of all three parties.

“We will be offering the guarantee of a constitutional future for Scotland which corresponds with what the great majority of Scots have told us they want.”

However Yes Scotland believes the country needs more than concessions from Westminster and argues that, to reach it’s full potential, Scotland must take control of it’s own destiny.

Yes Scotland today urged its volunteers and supporters to make every one of the next 100 days count as the nation heads towards its day of destiny on September 18.

Chief Executive Blair Jenkins paid tribute to the hundreds of thousands of volunteers and supporters who have built the largest grassroots movement in Scottish political history. And he appealed to them to make an even bigger push to help the independence campaign cross the winning line on Referendum Day.

He said: “In only 100 days from now we will be presented with the greatest opportunity our nation will ever have to create the kind of country we all know Scotland can and should be. It is a prize that that we must do everything in our power to secure for the people of Scotland.

In only 100 days from now we will be presented with the greatest opportunity our nation will ever have to create the kind of country we all know Scotland can and should be
We have the wealth, the wisdom and the will to create a fairer and better country, where all who live and work here
There has never been a country better equipped or better placed to become independent

“To every one of our hard-working supporters I want to say an enormous thank you for your hard work, dedication and determination for getting us to this point – but we still have much to do and I know that with your continued support, enthusiasm and tremendous industry we can, we should and, indeed, we must do it for Scotland and for future generations.”

Mr Jenkins said that during two years of campaigning as head of the Yes movement his belief that Scotland will vote Yes has never wavered.

And he revealed that voters are moving from ‘undecided’ to Yes at the rate of more than two to one compared to those declaring for No. Research for Yes Scotland shows that for every 10 people who have moved from the undecided middle ground since the autumn, seven have become Yes voters, while three have shifted to No.

Mr Jenkins said: “The campaign is well positioned for success in September. Our people are our most powerful asset, and in these final weeks we will take full advantage of this strength.

“We have the wealth, the wisdom and the will to create a fairer and better country, where all who live and work here share the benefit of our nation’s prosperity and vast resources.

“We are a more prosperous economy than the UK, France or Japan, but we need control of economic and welfare powers to make sure that the wealth of Scotland works for all the people.

“I know there are many people who remain to be convinced and it is by talking with them in millions of conversations that we will win them over to Yes.

“Over the next 100 days I appeal to every single person who believes in Yes to make it their business to talk with and persuade those who remain undecided to come our way.”

As a symbol of the strength and depth of the Yes movement and to mark the 100-days-to-go ‘milestone’, 100 Yes Scotland volunteers gathered in Edinburgh where they formed a gigantic human YES and displayed 100 reasons for voting Yes.

The breadth, scale and diversity of the Yes campaign has created an interest in politics never seen before in Scotland, said Yes Scotland’s Operations Manager Sarah-Jane Walls.

She said: “In terms of energy, positivity, optimism and ideas for Scotland’s future we simply cannot be caught and we are convinced that with that vital support we can continue building momentum. We know that more and more people are moving to Yes and that many remain open to independence. We have the economic strength to be a successful and vibrant independent country and Yes is an opportunity simply too good to pass up.

“There has never been a country better equipped or better placed to become independent and over the next 100 days we will be redoubling our efforts to spread that good and compelling message.”

Ms Walls said it was clear that the referendum campaign comprised two very different narratives about Scotland’s future.

“The Yes story is about creating a social and economic model that matches our aspirations and priorities for a fairer, more progressive, outward looking nation -where we can craft the policies we need to tackle the scourge of child poverty, and narrow the gap between the richest and poorest in our society.

“By contrast, what No offers is a story based on doubt, fear and a lack of confidence in our people and our country.

“On the one hand the Naysayers accept we have the wealth and means to be a successful independent country, but at the same time urge us to forgo that opportunity because there are too many risks. The truth is that the risk to Scotland’s progress as a better, fairer and more prosperous country stems from a No vote and sticking with a Westminster system that simple does not work for us.

“Over the next 100 days we will continue to counter Project Fear by giving people the facts in conversations that will take place in every corner of the country, in the locations where people want to talk in the company of people they like and trust, in their own communities. This is the underlying strength of the Yes campaign and with the continued help from our supporters we will continue to build on that over the next three and a half months.”

One hundred days to decide Scotland’s future …

Gloves come off over currency union

A currency union in the event of a vote for independence ‘would not be in the interests of either the people of Scotland or the remaining UK’, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne told an Edinburgh audience on Thursday. Unsurprisingly his claims have been rubbished by supporters of independence, but while the two sides disagree over currency union, one thing is clear – the gloves are well and truly off …

Mr Osborne’s speech follows official Treasury advice that in the event of independence they would not recommend a currency union to the Government of the continuing UK, and in an unusual departure from procedure he also published the advice he received from the Treasury Permanent Secretary on whether to join a currency union should Scotland become independent.

Speaking at the Point Hotel on Thursday, the Chancellor said: “I hope passionately that the people of Scotland choose to stay within our family of nations in the United Kingdom. I want Scotland to keep the pound and the economic security that it brings. But it is clear to me I could not as Chancellor recommend that we could share the pound with an independent Scotland. The evidence shows it wouldn’t work. It would cost jobs and cost money and wouldn’t provide economic security for Scotland or for the rest of the UK.I don’t think any other Chancellor of the Exchequer would come to a different view.

“The Scottish government says that if Scotland becomes independent there will be a currency union and Scotland will share the pound. People need to know – that is not going to happen.”

The Treasury also published the detailed analysis on the economics of a currency union which underpins its advice to the Chancellor. The paper states that while the United Kingdom is one of the most successful monetary, fiscal and political unions in history, the fiscal and financial risks of entering into a currency union with a separate Scottish state would be too great.

The analysis states:

UK is a successful union because taxation, spending, monetary policy and financial stability policy are coordinated across the whole UK, with risks pooled and clear political accountability

Scotland’s economy would be more exposed in the event of independence, with greater risks from shocks in the financial and energy sectors
in a currency union, the continuing UK would be exposed to much greater risk from a separate Scotland, with the possibility of continuing UK taxpayers being asked to support that state in the event of a fiscal or financial shock
if people in Scotland vote for independence, the Treasury would advise the continuing UK Government against entering into a currency union with an independent Scotland

The Chancellor’s view was supported by the finance spokespersons of both the other main Westminster parties.

The announcement was also welcomed by the Better Together campaign. Former Chancellor Alistair Darling, who leads the campaign, said: “If we vote to leave the UK in September, Scotland will not be able to keep the pound. That is the message Scotland must keep in mind when deciding how to vote. This was the day on which Alex Salmond’s bluff and bluster about independence came face to face with reality.

“Why would taxpayers in England want to bail out the banks of what would be a foreign country? Why would a continuing UK Treasury accept a veto from what would be a foreign government over tax, spending and borrowing?

“And why would Scotland agree to have its budget subject to a veto by the rest of the UK? That’s how a currency union works. You only have to look at the problems of the eurozone to see that. It makes little sense. Yet everything about the First Minister’s case for breaking up the UK rests on keeping the pound. The jobs of thousands of Scots in our financial services industry depend on using the pound. Without the pound, all of these are at risk. That is a big gamble we simply don’t have to take.”

The Better Together campaign called on Yes Scotland to explain what currency Scotland would use if we vote to leave the UK – would we join the euro, or maybe even set up a new, separate currency? Put simply, if yer no’ gettin’ the pound, what’s your Plan B?

Calling for clarity, Better Together campaign director Blair McDougall said:

“The nationalists have been in chaos on currency over the last few days. Alex Salmond is a man without a plan. First he says we will keep the Pound, even though it is now clearly off the table. Now Yes Scotland tell us we can keep the Pound without a formal agreement, even though the SNP’s own Fiscal Commission Working Group ruled this out. And Patrick Harvie, a Yes Scotland board member, today said that Alex Salmond needs to set out an alternative to the Pound.

“It is time they got their line straight. If Plan B really is the Panama plan that would mean if something like the collapse of RBS happened again a crisis would become a disaster in an independent Scotland.

“Leaving the UK and losing the Pound would mean higher mortgage repayments, more expensive credit card bills and a big risk to thousands of jobs in our financial services industry. Alex Salmond is gambling with the livelihoods of the people of Scotland.

“The message from those of us who support Scotland remaining in the UK is very simple – a vote for separation is a vote to lose the Pound. The only way to keep the Pound is to stay in the UK.”

However, supporters of independence have cast doubt on the Chancellor’s assertions. First Minister Alex Salmond accused Mr Osborne of ‘bluff, bluster and bullying’ and former Labour Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish also expressed concern over Osborne’s ‘misguided’ intervention, saying the Chancellor’s heavy-handed tactics could push more Scots into voting Yes.

Mr McLeish said: “He is basically saying vote yes and we won’t allow you to join a currency union. We will withdraw any goodwill and sacrifice the best interests of Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

“Do we really believe that would be the response if Scotland voted to exit the Union? I don’t think so. Wisdom and sanity would return. It would help if the Union would spell out their vision, provide an alternative to independence and offer a bit more carrot and less stick to Scots voters.

“Let’s remember that Osborne’s party want to take us out of the EU. It is the Union that is on trial, not Scotland. Creating a currency union is first and foremost a political decision, not a financial or technical one.

The UK and Scotland would have to settle the politics of this in their respective parliaments or at the polls, so the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland could have a say in this significant decision.”

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney maintains that an independent Scotland will continue to use the pound as it is in the best interests of Scotland and the rest of the UK .

Responding to the Chancellor’s comments on a currency union, the Finance Secretary said that the Treasury analysis has been developed without any discussion with the Scottish Government – and without acknowledging the independent expert work of the Fiscal Commission Working Group (FCWG).

The Scottish Government last year published comprehensive analysis of the different currency options available to an independent Scotland. This analysis by the Fiscal Commission Working Group, consisting of four pre-eminent economists including two Nobel laureates, considered the full range of options and concluded that a monetary union would be in the best interests of Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The Fiscal Commission provided advice on:

Banking union
Risk sharing
Monetary and exchange rate policy
Duration of a currency union

The HM Treasury has had no discussion with the Scottish Government on any of these points.

Responding to the Chancellor’s comments, Mr Swinney said:

“We welcome the opportunity to continue the debate with the Chancellor on the merits of our proposals on a currency union.

“However the Chancellor made clear his conclusions on currency union were based on the advice of Treasury officials. That advice is incomplete and with regard to the size of the Scottish financial sector and operation of monetary unions is backward looking and takes no account of the comprehensive evidence provided by the independent economic experts of the Fiscal Commission, including two Nobel laureates, Professor James Mirrlees and Professor Joseph Stiglitz.

“On every one of the four points the Chancellor rehearsed today, the FCWG have already published comprehensive advice and analysis and their proposed macroeconomic framework is a workable model that would ensure financial stability and allow both governments autonomy over economic and social policies, including fiscal policy. In addition the Governor of the Bank of England has confirmed the Bank will deliver a currency union if agreed by both Governments.

“On the banking union: no country should have to bail out banks again. Across the EU and UK recent regulation has been designed to break the link between taxpayers and banks. The Treasury hugely overstates the size of the banking sector in Scotland which is in line with the rest of the UK. It is the City of London which is hugely reliant on the financial services sector, accounting for 50 per cent of UK financial services GVA. A banking union with an independent Scotland is in the interests of the rest of the UK as the sector benefits from integrated trade.

“On fiscal risk sharing: Scotland’s fiscal position is stronger than that of the UK. An independent Scotland would have had the opportunity to spend more, tax less, invest in an oil fund and still borrow proportionally less than the UK. The Fiscal Commission proposition ensures a harmonised system for financial regulation and resolution of banks. Scotland would take its fair share of responsibility recognising that ‘both Scotland and the UK have a shared interest in ensuring financial stability’.

“On monetary and exchange rate policy: Scotland would have full fiscal and economic freedom to set taxes and economic policy, as has been shown by many countries in the different currency unions which have operated internationally.

“And on permanence; all Sovereign states have the ability to determine currency arrangements that are appropriate for their circumstances. That is not a barrier to successful currency unions.

“The model proposed by the Fiscal Commission Working Group has not been considered and the Chancellor’s statement today is political and completely counter to the spirit of the Edinburgh Agreement, which commits both Governments to working in the best interests of both countries whatever the result of the referendum.

“If the UK Government is to honour its commitment to the terms of the Edinburgh Agreement, the discussion that the Chancellor has entered into today must be informed by the best evidence available. The Fiscal Commission have recommended early engagement between the Scottish and UK Government to properly address these critical issues. The gaps in the Chancellor’s analysis demonstrates the force of that recommendation.”

So there you have the two sides of the currency union divide. The Unionists say it can’t and won’t happen, the Nationalists say it can and it will. Political panic over narrowing poll leads, or a pie in the sky economic gamble?

You pays your money, you takes your choice. For now at least, that money is sterling.

Independence IFS and buts

Think Tank report warns of spending cuts and tax hikes

An independent Scotland would have to cut spending or increase taxes for its finances to be sustainable in the long-term, a leading think tank has warned. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said Scotland would face a ‘fiscal gap’ of 1.9% of national income, more than double that of the rest of the UK (0.8%).

The report says that significant spending cuts or tax increases would be necessary to balance the books.

Better Together campaigners say the report leaves the economic argument for independence ‘in tatters’ but Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney believes the report actually underlines the case for an independent Scotland.

The 69 page ‘Fiscal sustainability of an independent Scotland’ (attached below) concludes:

‘An independent Scotland would have the freedom to make its own decisions about spending priorities and the appropriate design of the tax system, but it would be constrained by the necessity to deliver a significant cut in spending and/or increase in tax revenues in order to put its public finances in a sustainable long-term position’.‘

Speaking after the publication of the report earlier today, Alistair Darling, leader of the pro-Union Better Together campaign, said: “This sober and impartial analysis by the IFS leaves the SNP’s economic case for independence in tatters. SNP ministers pretend that in an independent Scotland there would be more money to spend, but that notion has been comprehensively demolished by the analysis from this respected institution. Today’s report is clear that an independent Scotland would need big cuts to things like pensions, benefits and the NHS or a big increase in tax.”

Not so, say supporters of independence. Commenting on the IFS report, Mr Swinney said: “This report actually underlines the case for an independent Scotland with full control of its own economy and the ability to take decisions that can secure a stronger and more prosperous future for the country.

“It is no surprise that projections based on the UK’s economic position show a long-term deficit when the OBR state that the UK’s economic strategy is “unsustainable” and that the UK will run a fiscal deficit in each of the next 50 years.

“The IFS themselves admit their projections in this report are ‘inherently uncertain and could evolve differently if Scotland were independent rather than part of the UK; in addition they could be substantially effected by the policies chosen by the government of an independent Scotland’.

“The whole point of independence is to equip Scotland with the competitive powers we need to make the most of our vast natural resources and human talent and to follow a better path from the current Westminster system which stifles growth and which is responsible for the damaging economic decisions which this report – and its projections – are based on.

“Scotland has strong financial and economic foundations, and even without a single penny from oil and gas, both output and tax revenues per head in Scotland are virtually the same as for the UK.

“Next year’s independence referendum will give people in Scotland a choice between staying with a broken Westminster system that has created one of the biggest gaps between rich and poor in the western world, which concentrates far too many jobs in London and the South-East of England, has accumulated vast amounts of debt and which neglects manufacturing and trade – or using the full tools of independence to rebalance the economy, improve equality and support public services.

“Between 1977 and 2007, smaller independent European countries similar to Scotland grew their economies faster than ours, and if we had matched those rates that greater output would now be the equivalent of around £4.5 billion.

“Tomorrow the Scottish Government will publish detailed analysis of the economic security, growth and job opportunities that come with the powers of independence and by taking Scotland’s future into Scotland’s hands.”

IFS report

Letter: Offensive, Darling – bitter together

Dear Editor

I find it offensive that Alister Darling thinks that Scotland is not capable of self-government or of being a nation with full powers. How come small nations similar to Scotland can gain their independence and be successful, look after their people and economy without their neighbours ?

Lets look at what “Better Together ” has really done for Scotland. It has destroyed coal mining and ship building . It has given away our forests to the highest bidder,and our fisheries were sold down the river. Our whisky is taxed to the hilt . Gas, electricity,water and now the Royal Mail have all been privatised,but not for the benefit of ordinary people. Our hospitals ,schools and care homes can’t cope because budgets are cut year in, year out .

Scotland’s oil has been squandered to the extent that Mr Darling and his ilk say it’s running out, yet we are assured by experts there are still ample oil reserves. Denis Healey admitted to the people of Scotland that they were lied to in the 1970s about the oil supply running out then. New oil fields are being opened daily , weekly, monthly.

Under “Better Together ” Scotland has nothing – it all goes to Westminster! Our old , young unemployed , disabled , vulnerable are being driven into deeper poverty by a ‘better together’ UK Great Britain, whether you are a Tory, Labour or Lib/Dem.

As for George Osbourne telling the Scottish nation that should we get independence we would not be able to use the pound sterling? Have any Scottish people tried to exchange Scottish monetary notes in England ? It’s near impossible!

Another myth is having to use a Scottish passport to travel to England? Passports are not required to travel to the Republic of Eire. Yes identification is required but not necessary a passport.

As for defence Better Together have used their savage cuts to the MOD therefore Scotland has seen their regiments disappear. Teresa May’s recent comment that Scotland would be a target for terrorism. Scotland has been attacked once . We are more than capable of defending our country. How many times has England been attacked? Go back to the 1970s and as recent as the London bombings in 2012.

Any other nations who have gained their independence have never asked to be returned to their original countries.If the people of Scotland want more welfare cuts, ruled from Westminster, job losses, and unfair treatment of our nation , then I dare you never to be poor, ill, young, unemployed or old.

The Better Together campaign are scaremongering our nation. Scottish people have to realise that in the referendum we are NOT voting for any political party but to have the right to rule our own country . All I have heard from political parties has been the back stabbing of Alex Salmond for suggesting we can achieve independence . Joanne Lamont is one of the worst offenders. Having listen to her at the Labour Party Conference she put down Alex Salmond 23 times . ” Better Together “? More like “Bitter Together!”

Finally just to inform people I do NOT vote SNP – however I do want independence.

Stand up, Scotland and be a proud nation!

Anna Hutchison (by email)