The Scottish independence referendum was well run, with high levels of voter satisfaction in the voting process, according to a report published today by the Electoral Commission. The report identifies important lessons from Scotland about how to run future referendums successfully, including the expected referendum on further devolution in Wales and a possible referendum on UK membership of the European Union.
At 84.6%, the turnout at the referendum was the highest for any Scotland-wide poll since universal suffrage, and the Commission found that 94% of voters who cast their vote at a polling station and 98 % of voters who cast a vote by post were satisfied with the process. This was particularly noteworthy since the Commission’s research also found that of those who reported voting at the referendum, 10% claimed to have voted for the first time.
John McCormick, Electoral Commissioner for Scotland, said: “On almost every measure of participation the referendum exceeded anything we have seen before and people overwhelmingly said they found the experience of voting positive. This is thanks to the commitment and hard work of those running the referendum, but it also provides a lesson in how to legislate and plan for referendums that policy makers across the UK should learn from.”
4,283,938 people were registered to vote in the referendum. 109,593 of them were aged 16 or 17 on the day of the poll. 75% of these young people reported having voted at the referendum and, of these, 97% said they intended to vote again in future elections and referendums.
John McCormick, Electoral Commissioner for Scotland, said: “It’ll be for the relevant Parliament to decide what the franchise should be for any future election or referendum, but our report shows how it can be extended in a way that ensures 16 and 17 year olds can participate fully. Anyone considering lowering the voting age should read our report carefully and learn from how it was done in Scotland.”
The report says that any proposal to extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds needs to:
Consider the timing of the annual canvass of voters so that young people are fully included in it Ensure robust plans are in place for registering and conducting public awareness activities with any new voters. Consider how the data of people not yet 16 will be protected.
The Commission has also highlighted that, whilst the date of any future referendum in the UK should be considered on a case by case basis, for referendums on high-profile issues likely to attract cross-party campaigning, such as on the UK’s membership of the EU, then the referendum should not be held on the same day as other polls. This would help ensure that campaigners are able to plan their activity more effectively and would enable voters to focus on the issues at stake in the referendum.
The Commission’s report also commends the Scottish Government and Parliament for ensuring that the legislation for the referendum was in place well before the poll. In contrast to the May 2011 referendum on the UK Parliamentary voting system where the legislation was passed just three months ahead of the polls, legislation for the Scottish referendum was passed nine months before polling day. This underpinned the effective delivery of the referendum, giving adequate time for administrators and campaigners to plan for their respective roles.
John McCormick concluded: “The Commission wants those legislating for any future referendum, to follow the example of the Scottish referendum and ensure that all legislation is in place at least six months before it has to be implemented or complied with by campaigners, Electoral Registration Officers or Counting Officers. The Scottish referendum clearly shows that early legislation not only makes for a better run poll, but also ensures the debate focuses on the real issues at stake rather than on arguments about the process.”
Showing posts with label Scottish Independence Referendum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scottish Independence Referendum. Show all posts
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
It’s your vote, don’t lose it says Electoral Commission
Voters at the referendum are being reminded to make sure they know what they need to do to make sure their vote counts. The Electoral Commission is reminding voters that to cast their vote they must:
All of this information, and more, can be found in the Electoral Commission’s voting guide, which can still be viewed at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. In addition, the Commission’s helpline, which is on 0800 3 280 280, will be available throughout polling day to help voters with any queries about the voting process.
Since launching its voter information campaign on 11 August, the Commission’s helpline has already handled over 13,000 enquiries from members of the public - the highest ever for a campaign in Scotland. The majority have been requests for registration and postal vote forms.
Over 400 calls have been about the voting process at polling stations and the Electoral Commission is encouraging anyone not sure about what to expect at the polling station or how to mark their ballot paper to read its impartial voting guide or call its helpline.
Andy O’Neill continued: "Anyone with any questions shouldn’t hesitate to give us a call on 0800 3 280 280 or read our voting guide at aboutmyvote. First time voters unsure of what to expect on Thursday can also see a virtual ‘polling station walk through’ on our website. It’s your vote, make sure you don’t lost it."
- Show their choice by putting a cross (‘X’) in the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ box on their ballot paper.
- Make sure they know where their polling place is located and get there between 7am and 10pm on polling day.
- Make sure that their postal votes or proxy votes (where someone has appointed a person they trust to cast their vote on their behalf) are received by the local Counting Officer by 10pm on polling day in order for it to count.
All of this information, and more, can be found in the Electoral Commission’s voting guide, which can still be viewed at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. In addition, the Commission’s helpline, which is on 0800 3 280 280, will be available throughout polling day to help voters with any queries about the voting process.
Since launching its voter information campaign on 11 August, the Commission’s helpline has already handled over 13,000 enquiries from members of the public - the highest ever for a campaign in Scotland. The majority have been requests for registration and postal vote forms.
Over 400 calls have been about the voting process at polling stations and the Electoral Commission is encouraging anyone not sure about what to expect at the polling station or how to mark their ballot paper to read its impartial voting guide or call its helpline.
Andy O’Neill continued: "Anyone with any questions shouldn’t hesitate to give us a call on 0800 3 280 280 or read our voting guide at aboutmyvote. First time voters unsure of what to expect on Thursday can also see a virtual ‘polling station walk through’ on our website. It’s your vote, make sure you don’t lost it."
Half of Brits support devolution in England & Wales
The latest poll conducted by ComRes for ITV News reveals that half of Britons (48%) support more decision making powers being devolved to English and Welsh cities and regions, although half (47%) oppose Wales having an independence referendum.
63% of the population believe that Scotland remaining part of the UK is good for Britain, compared to 14% who say it is bad for Britain. However, more than half of Britons (54%) support the idea of not allowing Scottish MPs in the UK Parliament in Westminster to vote on issues that do not impact on Scotland.
While nearly one third (30%) of Britons say that they do not care whether Scotland becomes independent, more than half (54%) disagree.
Just one in three Britons (31%) think that David Cameron should resign if Scotland becomes independent - half (48%) think not. Ed Miliband is perceived as slightly less culpable, with just one in four (24%) saying he should resign as Leader of the Labour Party if Scotland becomes independent.
Tom Mludzinski, Head of Political Polling at ComRes said: "Whatever the result of the referendum, the United Kingdom as we know it will be dramatically different. Greater devolution around the UK, and the West Lothian question are now creeping up the agenda and this poll demonstrates that there is some appetite for answers to the big questions thrown up south of the border as a result of the referendum campaign."
Detailed Findings:
Q. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
David Cameron should resign as Prime Minister if Scotland votes to become independent
Q. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Scotland's economy would be worse off if it were an independent country
Q. Regardless of the result of the Scottish referendum, Scotland is likely to receive more decision making powers. Do you support or oppose each of the following?
Not allowing Scottish MPs in the UK Parliament in Westminster to vote on issues that do not impact on Scotland
63% of the population believe that Scotland remaining part of the UK is good for Britain, compared to 14% who say it is bad for Britain. However, more than half of Britons (54%) support the idea of not allowing Scottish MPs in the UK Parliament in Westminster to vote on issues that do not impact on Scotland.
While nearly one third (30%) of Britons say that they do not care whether Scotland becomes independent, more than half (54%) disagree.
Just one in three Britons (31%) think that David Cameron should resign if Scotland becomes independent - half (48%) think not. Ed Miliband is perceived as slightly less culpable, with just one in four (24%) saying he should resign as Leader of the Labour Party if Scotland becomes independent.
Tom Mludzinski, Head of Political Polling at ComRes said: "Whatever the result of the referendum, the United Kingdom as we know it will be dramatically different. Greater devolution around the UK, and the West Lothian question are now creeping up the agenda and this poll demonstrates that there is some appetite for answers to the big questions thrown up south of the border as a result of the referendum campaign."
Detailed Findings:
Q. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
David Cameron should resign as Prime Minister if Scotland votes to become independent
- Agree 31%
- Disagree48%
- Don't Know21%
- Agree 25%
- Disagree 53%
- Don't Know 22%
- Agree 24%
- Disagree 52%
- Don't Know 25%
Q. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Scotland's economy would be worse off if it were an independent country
- Agree 60%
- Disagree 16%
- Don't know 24%
- Agree 40%
- Disagree 33%
- Don't know 27%
- Agree 30%
- Disagree 54%
- Don't know 16%
- Agree 26%
- Disagree 41%
- Don't know 33%
- Agree 16%
- Disagree 54%
- Don't know 30%
- Agree 14%
- Disagree 60%
- Don't know 26%
Q. Regardless of the result of the Scottish referendum, Scotland is likely to receive more decision making powers. Do you support or oppose each of the following?
Not allowing Scottish MPs in the UK Parliament in Westminster to vote on issues that do not impact on Scotland
- Support 54%
- Oppose 23%
- Don't know 24%
- Support 48%
- Oppose 25%
- Don't know 27%
- Support 40%
- Oppose 33%
- Don't know 27%
- Support 23%
- Oppose 47%
- Don't know 30%
London becoming independent from the rest of the UK
- Support 9%
- Oppose 73%
- Don't know 17%
Open letter to the voters of Scotland
First Minister letter to voters
In these final hours of this historic campaign I want to speak directly to every person in this country who is weighing up the arguments they have heard.
I have no doubt people in Scotland will look past the increasingly desperate and absurd scare stories being generated daily from Downing Street.
Those have no place in a sensible debate.
So in these last days of the greatest campaign Scotland has ever seen, I want to ask you to take a step back from the arguments of politicians and the blizzard of statistics.
For every expert on one side, there is an expert on the other.
For every scare tactic, there is a message of hope, opportunity and possibility.
The opportunity for our Parliament to gain real job creating powers, the ability to protect our treasured National Health Service and the building of a renewed relationship of respect and equality with our friends and neighbours in the rest of these Islands.
But for all that, the talking is nearly done.
The campaigns will have had their say.
What's left is just us - the people who live and work here.
The only people with a vote. The people who matter.
The people who for a few precious hours during polling day hold sovereignty, power, authority in their hands.
It's the greatest most empowering moment any of us will ever have.
Scotland’s future - our country in our hands.
What to do? Only each of us knows that.
For my part, I ask only this.
Make this decision with a clear head and a clear conscience.
Know that by voting ‘Yes’, what we take into our hands is a responsibility like no other- the responsibility to work together to make Scotland the nation it can be
That will require maturity, wisdom, engagement and energy- and it will come not from the usual sources of parties and politicians but from you -the people who have
transformed this moment from another political debate into a wonderful celebration of people power.
Does every Country make mistakes? Yes.
Are there challenges for Scotland to overcome? Undoubtedly.
But my question is this - who better to meet those challenges on behalf of our nation than us?
We must trust ourselves.
Trust each other.
In Scotland we’ve always had the wealth, the resources and the talent.
We know that with independence we would immediately be in the top twenty of the richest countries in the world.
But what has emerged in this campaign is something very new.
It has changed Scotland forever. I have met it in every community I have been in the last weeks.
Confidence.
Belief.
Empowerment.
An understanding that if we work hard Scotland can be a global success story.
A beacon of economic growth and a champion of social justice.
That’s who we are as a nation.
We are the land of Adam Smith who said that no society can flourish and be happy if too many of its people do not benefit from its wealth.
We are the land of Robert Burns who loved Scotland dearly and also celebrated humanity the world o’er.
It’s what we can be.
Its why this opportunity is truly historic.
Women and men all over Scotland looking in the mirror and knowing the moment has come.
Our choice, our opportunity, our time.
Wake up on Friday morning to the first day of a better country.
Wake up knowing you did this - you made it happen.
This vote isn’t about me, it isn’t about the SNP, the Labour Party or the Tories.
It’s about you. Your family. Your hopes. Your ambitions.
It’s about taking your country’s future into your hands.
Don’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers.
Don’t let them tell us we can’t.
Let’s do this.
In these final hours of this historic campaign I want to speak directly to every person in this country who is weighing up the arguments they have heard.
I have no doubt people in Scotland will look past the increasingly desperate and absurd scare stories being generated daily from Downing Street.
Those have no place in a sensible debate.
So in these last days of the greatest campaign Scotland has ever seen, I want to ask you to take a step back from the arguments of politicians and the blizzard of statistics.
For every expert on one side, there is an expert on the other.
For every scare tactic, there is a message of hope, opportunity and possibility.
The opportunity for our Parliament to gain real job creating powers, the ability to protect our treasured National Health Service and the building of a renewed relationship of respect and equality with our friends and neighbours in the rest of these Islands.
But for all that, the talking is nearly done.
The campaigns will have had their say.
What's left is just us - the people who live and work here.
The only people with a vote. The people who matter.
The people who for a few precious hours during polling day hold sovereignty, power, authority in their hands.
It's the greatest most empowering moment any of us will ever have.
Scotland’s future - our country in our hands.
What to do? Only each of us knows that.
For my part, I ask only this.
Make this decision with a clear head and a clear conscience.
Know that by voting ‘Yes’, what we take into our hands is a responsibility like no other- the responsibility to work together to make Scotland the nation it can be
That will require maturity, wisdom, engagement and energy- and it will come not from the usual sources of parties and politicians but from you -the people who have
transformed this moment from another political debate into a wonderful celebration of people power.
Does every Country make mistakes? Yes.
Are there challenges for Scotland to overcome? Undoubtedly.
But my question is this - who better to meet those challenges on behalf of our nation than us?
We must trust ourselves.
Trust each other.
In Scotland we’ve always had the wealth, the resources and the talent.
We know that with independence we would immediately be in the top twenty of the richest countries in the world.
But what has emerged in this campaign is something very new.
It has changed Scotland forever. I have met it in every community I have been in the last weeks.
Confidence.
Belief.
Empowerment.
An understanding that if we work hard Scotland can be a global success story.
A beacon of economic growth and a champion of social justice.
That’s who we are as a nation.
We are the land of Adam Smith who said that no society can flourish and be happy if too many of its people do not benefit from its wealth.
We are the land of Robert Burns who loved Scotland dearly and also celebrated humanity the world o’er.
It’s what we can be.
Its why this opportunity is truly historic.
Women and men all over Scotland looking in the mirror and knowing the moment has come.
Our choice, our opportunity, our time.
Wake up on Friday morning to the first day of a better country.
Wake up knowing you did this - you made it happen.
This vote isn’t about me, it isn’t about the SNP, the Labour Party or the Tories.
It’s about you. Your family. Your hopes. Your ambitions.
It’s about taking your country’s future into your hands.
Don’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers.
Don’t let them tell us we can’t.
Let’s do this.
Alex Salmond
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
Referendum betting reaches fever pitch
Scottish Independence referendum betting is at record-breaking levels according to Ladbrokes. The bookies have taken a record £250,000 worth of bets across the country in the last 24 hours, with 70% of stakes bet in Scotland opting for 'yes'
The deluge of pro-independence money, including one bet of £20,000 placed in West London, has forced the bookmakers to cut the odds of a breakaway to 11/4 from 3/1. Punters are also piling in on the chances of a high turnout, with the odds of over 85% of those eligible to vote doing so collapsing from 16/1 to 9/4.
The outcome of the referendum will decide a multi-million pound swing for the bookmakers with a win for 'yes' with over 55% of the vote set to trigger a seven-figure payout. Up to £50 million is forecast to be wagered on the contest across the betting industry.
Bets can be placed on the outcome of the referendum until an official result is announced as Ladbrokes' political betting traders prepare stay up through the night to monitor the markets.
Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: "Referendum betting has reached fever pitch. We've never known a political event like it and we're absolutely gripped." He added: "Bets are coming in by the second and with the race set to go down to the wire we will be open for business until the last minute."
Ladbrokes latest betting
Scottish independence referendum
Yes 2/7
No 11/4
Turnout
Over 85% 9/4
The deluge of pro-independence money, including one bet of £20,000 placed in West London, has forced the bookmakers to cut the odds of a breakaway to 11/4 from 3/1. Punters are also piling in on the chances of a high turnout, with the odds of over 85% of those eligible to vote doing so collapsing from 16/1 to 9/4.
The outcome of the referendum will decide a multi-million pound swing for the bookmakers with a win for 'yes' with over 55% of the vote set to trigger a seven-figure payout. Up to £50 million is forecast to be wagered on the contest across the betting industry.
Bets can be placed on the outcome of the referendum until an official result is announced as Ladbrokes' political betting traders prepare stay up through the night to monitor the markets.
Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: "Referendum betting has reached fever pitch. We've never known a political event like it and we're absolutely gripped." He added: "Bets are coming in by the second and with the race set to go down to the wire we will be open for business until the last minute."
Ladbrokes latest betting
Scottish independence referendum
Yes 2/7
No 11/4
Turnout
Over 85% 9/4
The vow could do more harm to the Union than good
This morning we see that the Prime Minister, David Cameron. The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg. And the Leader of the Official Opposition, Ed Miliband have all joined together to make a vow. It is a clear promise to give extensive and permanent new powers to the Scottish Parliament in the event of a no vote on Thursday.
One of the pledges is for the Treasury to ringfence the budget that the Scottish government is able to spend. However the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexender, has said that austerity will need to continue after the general election, whoever wins or which coalition goes forward following the election next year.
This would mean that Scotland under the plan put forward by the three leaders would face no cuts between 2015-2020. which means it is more than likely English public services will have to face deeper cuts to make up the shortfall in the UK Government's budget.
This move is likely to cause major resentment in England, not just from those within the Westminster bubble but throughout the country. English nationalism isn't an issue at the moment but if the English feel they're being punished so Scotland will stay within the Union. David Cameron will be right when he said in Aberdeen last night "I wont be here forever".
Sources already saying this is "outrageous" and are "very angry" that this been put forward. Conservative MPs are already saying they're going to "amend" Gordon Brown's 'Home Rule (Scotland) Bill'.
A number of Conservative MPs are also angry that Gordon Brown has been given "free reign" and that has been like "showing a red rag to a bull" for some Tories seeing the Former Prime Minister "dictating the pace".
Conservative MP for Lichfield, Michael Fabricant, has said on the record "If Scotland votes 'NO', we should not rule anything out regarding a new settlement - and that includes an English Parliament." Cheekily adding "in Lichfield"
Responding to the pledge, Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, took to twitter saying: "Nick Clegg has made a 'pledge' to Scotland. Mmmm. #Tuitionfees"
One of the pledges is for the Treasury to ringfence the budget that the Scottish government is able to spend. However the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexender, has said that austerity will need to continue after the general election, whoever wins or which coalition goes forward following the election next year.
This would mean that Scotland under the plan put forward by the three leaders would face no cuts between 2015-2020. which means it is more than likely English public services will have to face deeper cuts to make up the shortfall in the UK Government's budget.
This move is likely to cause major resentment in England, not just from those within the Westminster bubble but throughout the country. English nationalism isn't an issue at the moment but if the English feel they're being punished so Scotland will stay within the Union. David Cameron will be right when he said in Aberdeen last night "I wont be here forever".
Sources already saying this is "outrageous" and are "very angry" that this been put forward. Conservative MPs are already saying they're going to "amend" Gordon Brown's 'Home Rule (Scotland) Bill'.
A number of Conservative MPs are also angry that Gordon Brown has been given "free reign" and that has been like "showing a red rag to a bull" for some Tories seeing the Former Prime Minister "dictating the pace".
Conservative MP for Lichfield, Michael Fabricant, has said on the record "If Scotland votes 'NO', we should not rule anything out regarding a new settlement - and that includes an English Parliament." Cheekily adding "in Lichfield"
Responding to the pledge, Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, took to twitter saying: "Nick Clegg has made a 'pledge' to Scotland. Mmmm. #Tuitionfees"
Ed Miliband: A vote for no is a vote for change
Today the Labour leader Ed Miliband will be campaigning in Scotland ahead of the referendum. On a campaigning visit in the Central Belt, he is expected to say:
"In the next 48 hours Scotland faces a historic decision which will shape its future and the whole of the UK's future for centuries to come. Down one path by rejecting separatism and voting NO there is the promise of change. Change for a stronger Scotland and a better Britain. The will of the people of Scotland for economic and political change has been heard and we will deliver."
"Change is coming with more powers on tax and welfare for the Scottish Parliament. We will change the British state too, the House of Lords and the way we work together across our nations. I ask the people of Scotland to lead that change of our whole British constitution. And I also ask them to help deliver economic change too with a Labour government in May 2015 - a government that is within our reach and just months away."
"The great achievements of Britain over three hundred years from workers rights to the NHS will be matched as we tackle the great injustices of today. Injustices we can better surmount together. Together tackling poverty pay. Together realising full employment Together taking on the vested interests from the banks to the energy companies Together replacing insecurity with security at work. Together tackling the huge gap between rich and poor. These are the great causes of our time. Together we will deliver. And together we will build a stronger Scotland and a better Britain."
"On the other path of YES is a future of separation and risk. An irreversible decision. A risk to jobs, the economy and the NHS, as we abandon the shared resources and redistribution of our United Kingdom. With a no vote, things will not go back to the way things were after Thursday. Scotland has shown why we must and why we will change our whole country. Scotland can lead that change across Britain. A vote for no is a vote for change. Let's take our chance to change our country together."
"In the next 48 hours Scotland faces a historic decision which will shape its future and the whole of the UK's future for centuries to come. Down one path by rejecting separatism and voting NO there is the promise of change. Change for a stronger Scotland and a better Britain. The will of the people of Scotland for economic and political change has been heard and we will deliver."
"Change is coming with more powers on tax and welfare for the Scottish Parliament. We will change the British state too, the House of Lords and the way we work together across our nations. I ask the people of Scotland to lead that change of our whole British constitution. And I also ask them to help deliver economic change too with a Labour government in May 2015 - a government that is within our reach and just months away."
"The great achievements of Britain over three hundred years from workers rights to the NHS will be matched as we tackle the great injustices of today. Injustices we can better surmount together. Together tackling poverty pay. Together realising full employment Together taking on the vested interests from the banks to the energy companies Together replacing insecurity with security at work. Together tackling the huge gap between rich and poor. These are the great causes of our time. Together we will deliver. And together we will build a stronger Scotland and a better Britain."
"On the other path of YES is a future of separation and risk. An irreversible decision. A risk to jobs, the economy and the NHS, as we abandon the shared resources and redistribution of our United Kingdom. With a no vote, things will not go back to the way things were after Thursday. Scotland has shown why we must and why we will change our whole country. Scotland can lead that change across Britain. A vote for no is a vote for change. Let's take our chance to change our country together."
Charles Kennedy to launch final leg of the Lib Dem referendum campaign
Leading Scottish Liberal Democrat and Highland MP Charles Kennedy will today launch the final leg of his party's referendum campaign with a call for Scots not to walk away from the opportunities that come with being part of the UK. Mr Kennedy will launch a new poster van highlighting the positive things that Scotland and the UK have built together. He will be joined at the launch in Glasgow by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander.
In coming days Scottish Liberal Democrat poster vans will be travelling across Scotland, from the Highlands to the Borders.
Speaking to activists after the poster launch, Mr Kennedy is expected to say: "People often ask us for the positive reasons to say No Thanks. They want to hear good things about our place in the UK. And so they should. Like millions of Scots I've had the benefit of being part of a bigger UK. And I don't believe that we should walk away from that. Together, our family of nations has achieved great things. In so many ways we have built the best. In the NHS we have the best health service in the world. We are the world's second largest aid donor, helping the planet's poorest. And in the BBC we have the world's best broadcaster too. We've built these things together. And I don't believe that we should walk away from them."
Mr Kennedy also expected to say: "These are the positive reasons for people to vote No Thanks. It is the sunshine, positive case to stay in the UK. Today, the challenges we face are big. The global economy, climate change, our security. And I just think that on all of these, Scotland can give more and get more by being part of something bigger. We can build a stronger Scotland within the UK. A No Vote faster, better, safer change with more powers on tax and welfare for the Scottish Parliament. It would be wrong to turn inwards. And it would be wrong to walk away. That is the positive case for No Thanks which I will be taking to every person I meet in the final days of this campaign."
In coming days Scottish Liberal Democrat poster vans will be travelling across Scotland, from the Highlands to the Borders.
Speaking to activists after the poster launch, Mr Kennedy is expected to say: "People often ask us for the positive reasons to say No Thanks. They want to hear good things about our place in the UK. And so they should. Like millions of Scots I've had the benefit of being part of a bigger UK. And I don't believe that we should walk away from that. Together, our family of nations has achieved great things. In so many ways we have built the best. In the NHS we have the best health service in the world. We are the world's second largest aid donor, helping the planet's poorest. And in the BBC we have the world's best broadcaster too. We've built these things together. And I don't believe that we should walk away from them."
Mr Kennedy also expected to say: "These are the positive reasons for people to vote No Thanks. It is the sunshine, positive case to stay in the UK. Today, the challenges we face are big. The global economy, climate change, our security. And I just think that on all of these, Scotland can give more and get more by being part of something bigger. We can build a stronger Scotland within the UK. A No Vote faster, better, safer change with more powers on tax and welfare for the Scottish Parliament. It would be wrong to turn inwards. And it would be wrong to walk away. That is the positive case for No Thanks which I will be taking to every person I meet in the final days of this campaign."
Monday, 15 September 2014
Text of Cameron's Scottish Referendum in Aberdeen
Prime Minister David Cameron today addressed an audience in Aberdeen ahead of Thursday's referendum in Scotland.
COUNTDOWN TO THE REFERENDUM
OUR COUNTRY AT STAKE
"We meet in a week that could change the United Kingdom forever.
Indeed, it could end the United Kingdom as we know it.
On Thursday, Scotland votes, and the future of our country is at stake.
On Friday, people could be living in a different country, with a different place in the world and a different future ahead of it.
This is a decision that could break up our family of nations, and rip Scotland from the rest of the UK.
And we must be very clear.
There's no going back from this.
No re-run.
This is a once-and-for-all decision.
If Scotland votes yes, the UK will split, and we will go our separate ways forever.
When people vote on Thursday they are not just voting for themselves, but for their children and grandchildren and the generations beyond.
So I want to speak directly to the people of this country today about what is at stake.
UNITED KINGDOM
I speak for millions of people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - and many in Scotland, too...
...who would be utterly heart-broken by the break-up of the United Kingdom.
Utterly heart-broken to wake up on Friday morning to the end of the country we love...
...to know that Scots would no longer join with the English, Welsh and Northern Irish in our Army, Navy and Air Force...
...in our UK-wide celebrations and commemorations...
...in UK sporting teams from the Olympics to the British Lions.
The United Kingdom would be no more.
No UK pensions, no UK passports, no UK pound.
The greatest example of democracy the world has ever known, of openness...
...of people of different nationalities and faiths coming together as one, would be no more.
It would be the end of a country that launched the Enlightenment, that abolished slavery...
...that drove the industrial revolution, that defeated fascism...
...the end of a country that people around the world respect and admire...
... the end of a country that all of us call home.
And we built this home together.
It's only become Great Britain because of the greatness of Scotland.
Because of the thinkers, writers, artists, leaders, soldiers, inventors who have made this country what it is.
It's Alexander Fleming and David Hume; J.K. Rowling and Andy Murray...
...and all the millions of people who have played their part in this extraordinary success story...
...the Scots who led the charge on pensions and the NHS and on social justice.
We did all this together.
For the people of Scotland to walk away now would be like painstakingly building a home - and then walking out the door and throwing away the keys.
So I would say to everyone voting on Thursday, please remember.
This isn't just any old country. This is the United Kingdom. This is our country.
And you know what makes us truly great?
It's not our economic might or military prowess - it's our values.
British values.
Fairness. Freedom. Justice.
The values that say wherever you are, whoever you are, your life has dignity and worth.
The values that say we don't walk on by when people are sick...
...that we don't ask for your credit card in the hospital...
...that we don't turn our backs when you get old and frail.
...that we don't turn a blind eye or a cold heart to people around the world who are desperate and crying out for help.
This is what Britain means.
This is what makes us the greatest country on earth.
And it's why millions of us could not bear to see that country ending - for good, for ever - on Friday.
CONSEQUENCES
Now I know that there are many people across Scotland who are planning to vote Yes.
I understand why this might sound appealing.
It's the promise of something different.
I also know that the people who are running the Yes campaign are painting a picture of a
Scotland that is better in every way, and they can be good at painting that picture.
But when something looks too good to be true - that's usually because it is.
And it is my duty to be clear about the likely consequences of a Yes Vote.
Independence would not be a trial separation...
...it would be a painful divorce.
And as Prime Minister I have to tell you what that would mean.
It would mean we no longer share the same currency.
It would mean the armed forces we have built up together over centuries being split up forever.
It would mean our pension funds sliced up - at some cost.
It would mean the borders we have would become international and may no longer be so easily crossed.
It would mean the automatic support that you currently get from British embassies when you're travelling around the world would come to an end.
It would mean over half of Scottish mortgages suddenly, from one day to the next, being provided by banks in a foreign country.
It would mean that interest rates in Scotland are no longer set by the Bank of England - with the stability and security that promises.
It would mean - for any banks that remain in Scotland - if they ever got in trouble it would be Scottish taxpayers and Scottish taxpayers alone that would bear the costs.
It would mean that we no longer pool resources across the whole of the UK to pay for institutions like the NHS or our welfare system.
This is not guesswork. There are no question marks, no maybe this or maybe that.
The Nationalists want to break up UK funding on pensions, the UK funding of healthcare, the UK funding and comprehensive protection on national security.
These are the facts. This is what would happen. An end to the things we share together.
And the people of Scotland must know these facts before they make this once-and-for-all decision.
To warn of the consequences is not to scare-monger...
...it is like warning a friend about a decision they might take that will affect the rest of their lives - and the lives of their children.
I say all this because I don't want the people of Scotland to be sold a dream that disappears.
CHANGE
Now I know that some people say: we've heard about the risks and the uncertainties...
...but we still want change.
Look. The United Kingdom is not a perfect country - no country is.
Of course we must constantly change and improve people's lives.
No-one is content while there are still children living in poverty.
No-one is content while there are people struggling, and young people not reaching their potential.
Yes, every political party is different.
But we are all of us - Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, Nationalists - on a constant mission to change our country for the better.
The question is: how do you get that change?
For me it's simple.
You don't get the change you want by ripping your country apart.
You don't get change by undermining your economy and damaging your businesses and diminishing your place in the world.
But you can get real, concrete change on Thursday: if you vote No.
'Business as usual' is not on the ballot paper.
The status quo is gone.
This campaign has swept it away.
There is no going back to the way things were.
A vote for No means real change.
And we have spelled that change out in practical terms, with a plan and a process.
If we get a No vote on Thursday, that will trigger a major, unprecedented programme of devolution with additional powers for the Scottish Parliament.
Major new powers over tax, spending and welfare services.
We have agreed a timetable for that stronger Scottish Parliament: a time-table to bring in the new powers that will go ahead if there is a No vote...
...a White Paper by November, put into draft legislation by January.
This is a timetable that is now agreed by all the main political parties and set in stone...
...and I am prepared to work with all the main parties to deliver this during 2015.
So a No vote actually means faster, fairer, safer and better change.
And this is a vital point:
Scotland is not an observer in the affairs of this country.
Scotland is shaping and changing the United Kingdom for the better - more so today than at any point in the last three hundred years...
...and will continue to help shape the constitution of our country.
And Scottish people can enjoy the additional powers its Parliament gives without losing the UK pension, the UK pound or the UK passport.
Real change is Scotland's for the taking.
The power to set your own course and make your own decisions...
...with the security of being in the UK...
...without the risks of going it alone.
It's the best of both worlds.
Scotland's identity is already strong...
...strong Scottish culture, strong Scottish arts, a strong Church of Scotland...
...and in the last 15 years you have built a strong Scottish Parliament...
...not a fleeting institution but a permanent one.
So the vote on Thursday is not about whether Scotland is a nation.
Scotland is a proud, strong, successful nation.
The vote on Thursday is about two competing visions for Scotland's future.
The Nationalists' vision of narrowing down, going it alone, breaking all ties with the UK.
Or the patriotic vision of a strong Scottish nation allied to the rest of the United Kingdom...
...with its own stronger Scottish Parliament at its heart...
...and with the benefits of working together in the UK on jobs, pensions, healthcare funding, the currency, interest rates.
It really is the best of both worlds...
...and it's the best way to get real change and secure a better future for your children and grandchildren.
FAMILY OF NATIONS
And speaking of family - that is quite simply how I feel about this.
We are a family.
The United Kingdom is not one nation.
We are four nations in a single country.
That can be difficult....
...but it is wonderful.
Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
....different nations, with individual identities...
...competing with each other...
...even at times enraging each other...
...while still being so much stronger together.
We are a family of nations.
Why should the next generation of that family be forced to choose whether to identify only with Edinburgh or only with London...
...choose which embassy they want to go to when they are in trouble abroad...
...or pack their passport when they're going to see friends and loved ones.
A family is not a compromise, or a second best, it is a magical identity, that makes us more together than we can ever be apart...
...so please - do not break this family apart.
In human relations it's almost never a good thing to turn away from each other, put up walls, score new lines on the map.
Why would we take one Great Britain and turn it into separate smaller nations?
What is that an answer to?
How will that help the ambitious young people who want to make their mark on the world...
...or the pensioner who just wants security...
...or the family relying on jobs make in the UK?
Let no-one fool you that 'Yes' is a positive vision.
It's about dividing people, closing doors, making foreigners of our friends and family.
This isn't an optimistic vision.
The optimistic vision is of our family of nations staying together...
...there for each other in the hard times...
...coming through to better times.
We've just pulled through a great recession together.
We're moving forward together.
The road has been long but it is finally leading upwards...
...and that's why I ask you to vote No to walking away.
Vote No - and you are voting for a bigger and broader and better future for Scotland...
...and you are investing in the future for your children and grandchildren.
PLEASE STAY
So this is our message to the people of Scotland.
We want you to stay.
Head and heart and soul, we want you to stay.
Please: don't mix up the temporary and the permanent.
Don't think: I'm frustrated with politics right now, so I'll walk out the door and never come back.
If you don't like me - I won't be here forever.
If you don't like this Government - it won't last forever.
But if you leave the UK - that will be forever.
Yes, the different parts of the UK don't always see eye-to-eye.
Yes, we need change - and we will deliver it.
But to get that change, to get a brighter future, we don't need to tear our country apart.
In two days, this long campaign will be at an end.
And as you stand in the stillness of the polling booth, I hope you will ask yourself this.
Will my family and I truly be better off by going it alone?
Will we really be more safe and secure?
Do I really want to turn my back on the rest of Britain, and why is it that so many people across the world are asking: why would Scotland want to do that? Why?
And if you don't know the answer to these questions - then vote No.
At the end of the day, all the arguments of this campaign can be reduced to a single fact.
We are better together.
So as you reach your final decision, please:
Don't let anyone tell you that you can't be a proud Scot and a proud Brit.
Don't lose faith in what this country is - and what we can be.
Don't forget what a great United Kingdom you are part of.
Don't turn your backs on what is the best family of nations in the world...
...and the best hope for your family in this world.
So please, from all of us: Vote to stick together... Vote to stay...
...Vote to save our United Kingdom."
COUNTDOWN TO THE REFERENDUM
OUR COUNTRY AT STAKE
"We meet in a week that could change the United Kingdom forever.
Indeed, it could end the United Kingdom as we know it.
On Thursday, Scotland votes, and the future of our country is at stake.
On Friday, people could be living in a different country, with a different place in the world and a different future ahead of it.
This is a decision that could break up our family of nations, and rip Scotland from the rest of the UK.
And we must be very clear.
There's no going back from this.
No re-run.
This is a once-and-for-all decision.
If Scotland votes yes, the UK will split, and we will go our separate ways forever.
When people vote on Thursday they are not just voting for themselves, but for their children and grandchildren and the generations beyond.
So I want to speak directly to the people of this country today about what is at stake.
UNITED KINGDOM
I speak for millions of people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - and many in Scotland, too...
...who would be utterly heart-broken by the break-up of the United Kingdom.
Utterly heart-broken to wake up on Friday morning to the end of the country we love...
...to know that Scots would no longer join with the English, Welsh and Northern Irish in our Army, Navy and Air Force...
...in our UK-wide celebrations and commemorations...
...in UK sporting teams from the Olympics to the British Lions.
The United Kingdom would be no more.
No UK pensions, no UK passports, no UK pound.
The greatest example of democracy the world has ever known, of openness...
...of people of different nationalities and faiths coming together as one, would be no more.
It would be the end of a country that launched the Enlightenment, that abolished slavery...
...that drove the industrial revolution, that defeated fascism...
...the end of a country that people around the world respect and admire...
... the end of a country that all of us call home.
And we built this home together.
It's only become Great Britain because of the greatness of Scotland.
Because of the thinkers, writers, artists, leaders, soldiers, inventors who have made this country what it is.
It's Alexander Fleming and David Hume; J.K. Rowling and Andy Murray...
...and all the millions of people who have played their part in this extraordinary success story...
...the Scots who led the charge on pensions and the NHS and on social justice.
We did all this together.
For the people of Scotland to walk away now would be like painstakingly building a home - and then walking out the door and throwing away the keys.
So I would say to everyone voting on Thursday, please remember.
This isn't just any old country. This is the United Kingdom. This is our country.
And you know what makes us truly great?
It's not our economic might or military prowess - it's our values.
British values.
Fairness. Freedom. Justice.
The values that say wherever you are, whoever you are, your life has dignity and worth.
The values that say we don't walk on by when people are sick...
...that we don't ask for your credit card in the hospital...
...that we don't turn our backs when you get old and frail.
...that we don't turn a blind eye or a cold heart to people around the world who are desperate and crying out for help.
This is what Britain means.
This is what makes us the greatest country on earth.
And it's why millions of us could not bear to see that country ending - for good, for ever - on Friday.
CONSEQUENCES
Now I know that there are many people across Scotland who are planning to vote Yes.
I understand why this might sound appealing.
It's the promise of something different.
I also know that the people who are running the Yes campaign are painting a picture of a
Scotland that is better in every way, and they can be good at painting that picture.
But when something looks too good to be true - that's usually because it is.
And it is my duty to be clear about the likely consequences of a Yes Vote.
Independence would not be a trial separation...
...it would be a painful divorce.
And as Prime Minister I have to tell you what that would mean.
It would mean we no longer share the same currency.
It would mean the armed forces we have built up together over centuries being split up forever.
It would mean our pension funds sliced up - at some cost.
It would mean the borders we have would become international and may no longer be so easily crossed.
It would mean the automatic support that you currently get from British embassies when you're travelling around the world would come to an end.
It would mean over half of Scottish mortgages suddenly, from one day to the next, being provided by banks in a foreign country.
It would mean that interest rates in Scotland are no longer set by the Bank of England - with the stability and security that promises.
It would mean - for any banks that remain in Scotland - if they ever got in trouble it would be Scottish taxpayers and Scottish taxpayers alone that would bear the costs.
It would mean that we no longer pool resources across the whole of the UK to pay for institutions like the NHS or our welfare system.
This is not guesswork. There are no question marks, no maybe this or maybe that.
The Nationalists want to break up UK funding on pensions, the UK funding of healthcare, the UK funding and comprehensive protection on national security.
These are the facts. This is what would happen. An end to the things we share together.
And the people of Scotland must know these facts before they make this once-and-for-all decision.
To warn of the consequences is not to scare-monger...
...it is like warning a friend about a decision they might take that will affect the rest of their lives - and the lives of their children.
I say all this because I don't want the people of Scotland to be sold a dream that disappears.
CHANGE
Now I know that some people say: we've heard about the risks and the uncertainties...
...but we still want change.
Look. The United Kingdom is not a perfect country - no country is.
Of course we must constantly change and improve people's lives.
No-one is content while there are still children living in poverty.
No-one is content while there are people struggling, and young people not reaching their potential.
Yes, every political party is different.
But we are all of us - Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, Nationalists - on a constant mission to change our country for the better.
The question is: how do you get that change?
For me it's simple.
You don't get the change you want by ripping your country apart.
You don't get change by undermining your economy and damaging your businesses and diminishing your place in the world.
But you can get real, concrete change on Thursday: if you vote No.
'Business as usual' is not on the ballot paper.
The status quo is gone.
This campaign has swept it away.
There is no going back to the way things were.
A vote for No means real change.
And we have spelled that change out in practical terms, with a plan and a process.
If we get a No vote on Thursday, that will trigger a major, unprecedented programme of devolution with additional powers for the Scottish Parliament.
Major new powers over tax, spending and welfare services.
We have agreed a timetable for that stronger Scottish Parliament: a time-table to bring in the new powers that will go ahead if there is a No vote...
...a White Paper by November, put into draft legislation by January.
This is a timetable that is now agreed by all the main political parties and set in stone...
...and I am prepared to work with all the main parties to deliver this during 2015.
So a No vote actually means faster, fairer, safer and better change.
And this is a vital point:
Scotland is not an observer in the affairs of this country.
Scotland is shaping and changing the United Kingdom for the better - more so today than at any point in the last three hundred years...
...and will continue to help shape the constitution of our country.
And Scottish people can enjoy the additional powers its Parliament gives without losing the UK pension, the UK pound or the UK passport.
Real change is Scotland's for the taking.
The power to set your own course and make your own decisions...
...with the security of being in the UK...
...without the risks of going it alone.
It's the best of both worlds.
Scotland's identity is already strong...
...strong Scottish culture, strong Scottish arts, a strong Church of Scotland...
...and in the last 15 years you have built a strong Scottish Parliament...
...not a fleeting institution but a permanent one.
So the vote on Thursday is not about whether Scotland is a nation.
Scotland is a proud, strong, successful nation.
The vote on Thursday is about two competing visions for Scotland's future.
The Nationalists' vision of narrowing down, going it alone, breaking all ties with the UK.
Or the patriotic vision of a strong Scottish nation allied to the rest of the United Kingdom...
...with its own stronger Scottish Parliament at its heart...
...and with the benefits of working together in the UK on jobs, pensions, healthcare funding, the currency, interest rates.
It really is the best of both worlds...
...and it's the best way to get real change and secure a better future for your children and grandchildren.
FAMILY OF NATIONS
And speaking of family - that is quite simply how I feel about this.
We are a family.
The United Kingdom is not one nation.
We are four nations in a single country.
That can be difficult....
...but it is wonderful.
Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
....different nations, with individual identities...
...competing with each other...
...even at times enraging each other...
...while still being so much stronger together.
We are a family of nations.
Why should the next generation of that family be forced to choose whether to identify only with Edinburgh or only with London...
...choose which embassy they want to go to when they are in trouble abroad...
...or pack their passport when they're going to see friends and loved ones.
A family is not a compromise, or a second best, it is a magical identity, that makes us more together than we can ever be apart...
...so please - do not break this family apart.
In human relations it's almost never a good thing to turn away from each other, put up walls, score new lines on the map.
Why would we take one Great Britain and turn it into separate smaller nations?
What is that an answer to?
How will that help the ambitious young people who want to make their mark on the world...
...or the pensioner who just wants security...
...or the family relying on jobs make in the UK?
Let no-one fool you that 'Yes' is a positive vision.
It's about dividing people, closing doors, making foreigners of our friends and family.
This isn't an optimistic vision.
The optimistic vision is of our family of nations staying together...
...there for each other in the hard times...
...coming through to better times.
We've just pulled through a great recession together.
We're moving forward together.
The road has been long but it is finally leading upwards...
...and that's why I ask you to vote No to walking away.
Vote No - and you are voting for a bigger and broader and better future for Scotland...
...and you are investing in the future for your children and grandchildren.
PLEASE STAY
So this is our message to the people of Scotland.
We want you to stay.
Head and heart and soul, we want you to stay.
Please: don't mix up the temporary and the permanent.
Don't think: I'm frustrated with politics right now, so I'll walk out the door and never come back.
If you don't like me - I won't be here forever.
If you don't like this Government - it won't last forever.
But if you leave the UK - that will be forever.
Yes, the different parts of the UK don't always see eye-to-eye.
Yes, we need change - and we will deliver it.
But to get that change, to get a brighter future, we don't need to tear our country apart.
In two days, this long campaign will be at an end.
And as you stand in the stillness of the polling booth, I hope you will ask yourself this.
Will my family and I truly be better off by going it alone?
Will we really be more safe and secure?
Do I really want to turn my back on the rest of Britain, and why is it that so many people across the world are asking: why would Scotland want to do that? Why?
And if you don't know the answer to these questions - then vote No.
At the end of the day, all the arguments of this campaign can be reduced to a single fact.
We are better together.
So as you reach your final decision, please:
Don't let anyone tell you that you can't be a proud Scot and a proud Brit.
Don't lose faith in what this country is - and what we can be.
Don't forget what a great United Kingdom you are part of.
Don't turn your backs on what is the best family of nations in the world...
...and the best hope for your family in this world.
So please, from all of us: Vote to stick together... Vote to stay...
...Vote to save our United Kingdom."
Unite calls for employer flexibility on referendum day as record turnout expected
Employers across Scotland should give workers as much flexibility as possible to cast their vote in the Scottish independence referendum (Thursday 18 September) amidst expectations of an unprecedented turnout, says the county's largest trade union, Unite. Almost 4.3 million people have registered to vote on the country's constitutional future, creating the largest electorate ever for a ballot held in Scotland - a level of civic engagement reflected by Unite's internal polling which showed 93 per cent of its members in Scotland will exercise their vote.
Clear guidance has been issued by the Electoral Commission to help voters plan for the day and to cast their vote correctly, while extra staff will be on-call at polling stations during peak times to reduce the risk of delays. However, to avoid the potential for congestion and exclusion at polling stations, Unite believes employers can help people play their part in the democratic process.
Unite Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty said, "We can say with absolute certainty that the turnout at polling stations across Scotland on Thursday will be unprecedented, reflected by the Electoral Commission's registration figures and by our own internal polling. Traditional peak times for voting bookend the working day, first thing in the morning when the polls open at 07:00 hours and again in the evening until the polls close at 22:00 hours, so employers can play their part by giving as much scope as possible for working people to vote during the day too.
"The eyes of the world will be on Scotland so we must avoid the problems which marred the 2010 general election when people were turned away from polling stations as the polls closed despite queuing for hours - that would be a travesty. We welcome confirmation that extra resources will be in place at polling stations during peak times, but we all have a moral obligation to help alleviate the inevitable strain that a record turnout will bring and ensure the vote goes as smoothly as possible."
Clear guidance has been issued by the Electoral Commission to help voters plan for the day and to cast their vote correctly, while extra staff will be on-call at polling stations during peak times to reduce the risk of delays. However, to avoid the potential for congestion and exclusion at polling stations, Unite believes employers can help people play their part in the democratic process.
Unite Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty said, "We can say with absolute certainty that the turnout at polling stations across Scotland on Thursday will be unprecedented, reflected by the Electoral Commission's registration figures and by our own internal polling. Traditional peak times for voting bookend the working day, first thing in the morning when the polls open at 07:00 hours and again in the evening until the polls close at 22:00 hours, so employers can play their part by giving as much scope as possible for working people to vote during the day too.
"The eyes of the world will be on Scotland so we must avoid the problems which marred the 2010 general election when people were turned away from polling stations as the polls closed despite queuing for hours - that would be a travesty. We welcome confirmation that extra resources will be in place at polling stations during peak times, but we all have a moral obligation to help alleviate the inevitable strain that a record turnout will bring and ensure the vote goes as smoothly as possible."
Government pressure on business is "unacceptable"
The SNP is reiterating the call for full disclosure on Westminster's attempts to brief against Scotland in recent weeks - in light of claims that the UK Government's most senior civil servant Sir Jeremy Heywood has been pressurising business chiefs to speak out against a Yes vote.
Speaking on the Today Programme this morning, Financial Times editor Lionel Barber said business leaders hadn't wanted to get involved in politics, but as polling day draws closer and the polls tighten: "Mr Cameron and the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has been on the phone saying, ‘will you please speak up?'"
When asked if he knew that was the case, Mr Barber replied: "We know they have, we know they have."
Commenting on the developments, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "If true, the allegation that Sir Jeremy Heywood - Westminster's most senior civil servant - is also involved in orchestrating scare stories is completely unacceptable. It is also further proof of the anti-independence plotting going on at senior levels of the UK Government. As a matter of the utmost urgency, the UK Government must fully disclose any involvement of the Treasury, civil servants and any other figures and departments involved before the people of Scotland head to the polls on Thursday.
"It is clear that David Cameron's fingerprints are all over the scare stories we have seen in the past days and weeks. And just yesterday it was revealed that the UK Treasury had sent unsolicited briefing to the BBC on RBS - the leaking of market sensitive information is a serious matter and the people of Scotland deserve clarity about the role the Treasury played in this. The First Minister has asked for an inquiry into this matter and the UK Government must comply.
"The people of Scotland will not be bullied by the Westminster Tory government as it attempts to spread fear. With recent polling showing more and more people are waking up to the opportunities a Yes vote will bring we are confident that on Thursday they will seize the opportunity a Yes vote offers to build a better, fairer Scotland."
Speaking on the Today Programme this morning, Financial Times editor Lionel Barber said business leaders hadn't wanted to get involved in politics, but as polling day draws closer and the polls tighten: "Mr Cameron and the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has been on the phone saying, ‘will you please speak up?'"
When asked if he knew that was the case, Mr Barber replied: "We know they have, we know they have."
Commenting on the developments, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "If true, the allegation that Sir Jeremy Heywood - Westminster's most senior civil servant - is also involved in orchestrating scare stories is completely unacceptable. It is also further proof of the anti-independence plotting going on at senior levels of the UK Government. As a matter of the utmost urgency, the UK Government must fully disclose any involvement of the Treasury, civil servants and any other figures and departments involved before the people of Scotland head to the polls on Thursday.
"It is clear that David Cameron's fingerprints are all over the scare stories we have seen in the past days and weeks. And just yesterday it was revealed that the UK Treasury had sent unsolicited briefing to the BBC on RBS - the leaking of market sensitive information is a serious matter and the people of Scotland deserve clarity about the role the Treasury played in this. The First Minister has asked for an inquiry into this matter and the UK Government must comply.
"The people of Scotland will not be bullied by the Westminster Tory government as it attempts to spread fear. With recent polling showing more and more people are waking up to the opportunities a Yes vote will bring we are confident that on Thursday they will seize the opportunity a Yes vote offers to build a better, fairer Scotland."
Fourth pre-poll donations and loans report at Scottish Independence Referendum published
One hundred and thirty thousand pounds in donations to registered campaigners at the Scottish Independence Referendum have been reported to the Electoral Commission in its fourth and final pre-poll donations and loans report.
Under the Scottish Independence Referendum Act, registered campaigners must complete pre-poll reports setting out what donations and loans they have received over £7,500 between commencement of the Act (18 December 2013) and 5 September 2014.
This fourth pre-poll report covers the period from 22 August 2014 to 5 September 2014. Any campaigner that registered after the deadline for the first pre-poll report (3 July) must report any reportable donations or loans dating back to 18 December 2013.
There were two registered campaigners with reportable donations.
Outcome: Yes
Details of all reportable donations and loans to registered campaigners, including the total amount for all four reporting periods can be seen on the: Electoral Commission Website This is the first time voters anywhere in the UK have been able to see how campaigners at a referendum are financed before they cast their vote.
Under the Scottish Independence Referendum Act, registered campaigners must complete pre-poll reports setting out what donations and loans they have received over £7,500 between commencement of the Act (18 December 2013) and 5 September 2014.
This fourth pre-poll report covers the period from 22 August 2014 to 5 September 2014. Any campaigner that registered after the deadline for the first pre-poll report (3 July) must report any reportable donations or loans dating back to 18 December 2013.
There were two registered campaigners with reportable donations.
Outcome: Yes
- Yes Scotland Limited (designated lead campaigner) - £120,000
- Let’s Stay Together - £10,000
Details of all reportable donations and loans to registered campaigners, including the total amount for all four reporting periods can be seen on the: Electoral Commission Website This is the first time voters anywhere in the UK have been able to see how campaigners at a referendum are financed before they cast their vote.
Vote Yes for your grandchildren, pensioners urged
The SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon has today called on pensioners in Scotland to vote Yes on Thursday - to as she describes it "ensure that their grandchildren are given the opportunities that years of Tory government denied to previous generations" in Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon today joined former Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party MSP John Swinburne, Yes Scotland chairman and former Labour MP Dennis Canavan, and a host of senior Labour figures in Hamilton, in a cross-party appeal to Scotland’s older voters. Yesterday, the former SNP MP, MSP and MEP Winnie Ewing called on Scots to back a Yes vote for future generations.
Dr Ewing, who electrified British politics with a spectacular win in the 1967 Hamilton by-election, famously declaring “stop the world, Scotland wants to get on”, said: “I’m old enough to appreciate having grandchildren, so I'm in a position to realise it's vital for them to grow up in a fair society where their aspirations are listened to, and where they’re afforded the chances they need. And that’s what I hope every young person in this country will get in a democratic Scotland.”
Commenting, Ms Sturgeon said: "Scotland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but for too many people - including many older people - it doesn’t feel that way. Under Westminster rule, the state pension is second lowest in the developed world. We know that Scots’ pensions are legally guaranteed - and even the UK Government’s Pensions Minister has confirmed that they will be protected in an independent Scotland. Independence is an opportunity to give our older people the retirement they deserve - whether it is ensuring the state pension rises in line with the cost of living; maintaining savings credit, which is being scrapped by Westminster; or reviewing Westminster’s unfair plans to raise the state retirement age to 67."
“But crucially, independence is also an opportunity for the young people of today - and we are urging pensioners to vote Yes and unlock the wealth of opportunity for future generations. A generation ago, the people of Scotland were told to vote No to get a better form of devolution. What we got instead was 18 years of Tory governments that we didn’t vote for, the destruction of our manufacturing sector, and a generation of young people left on the scrap-heap."
“Scotland can and must make sure this never happens again - we must look to the future and ensure that future generations have the opportunities that their parents and grandparents never had. So our plea today to pensioners in Scotland is this: you lived through the Thatcher years, you lived through the waste of opportunity, you lived through the squandering of Scotland’s oil wealth - don’t let Westminster repeat the mistakes of the past. Independence is the opportunity to turn Scotland into a fairer and more prosperous society - reindustrialising Scotland for the future and creating more job opportunities for young people. Vote Yes, and put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands - in the hands of your children and your grandchildren."
Ms Sturgeon today joined former Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party MSP John Swinburne, Yes Scotland chairman and former Labour MP Dennis Canavan, and a host of senior Labour figures in Hamilton, in a cross-party appeal to Scotland’s older voters. Yesterday, the former SNP MP, MSP and MEP Winnie Ewing called on Scots to back a Yes vote for future generations.
Dr Ewing, who electrified British politics with a spectacular win in the 1967 Hamilton by-election, famously declaring “stop the world, Scotland wants to get on”, said: “I’m old enough to appreciate having grandchildren, so I'm in a position to realise it's vital for them to grow up in a fair society where their aspirations are listened to, and where they’re afforded the chances they need. And that’s what I hope every young person in this country will get in a democratic Scotland.”
Commenting, Ms Sturgeon said: "Scotland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but for too many people - including many older people - it doesn’t feel that way. Under Westminster rule, the state pension is second lowest in the developed world. We know that Scots’ pensions are legally guaranteed - and even the UK Government’s Pensions Minister has confirmed that they will be protected in an independent Scotland. Independence is an opportunity to give our older people the retirement they deserve - whether it is ensuring the state pension rises in line with the cost of living; maintaining savings credit, which is being scrapped by Westminster; or reviewing Westminster’s unfair plans to raise the state retirement age to 67."
“But crucially, independence is also an opportunity for the young people of today - and we are urging pensioners to vote Yes and unlock the wealth of opportunity for future generations. A generation ago, the people of Scotland were told to vote No to get a better form of devolution. What we got instead was 18 years of Tory governments that we didn’t vote for, the destruction of our manufacturing sector, and a generation of young people left on the scrap-heap."
“Scotland can and must make sure this never happens again - we must look to the future and ensure that future generations have the opportunities that their parents and grandparents never had. So our plea today to pensioners in Scotland is this: you lived through the Thatcher years, you lived through the waste of opportunity, you lived through the squandering of Scotland’s oil wealth - don’t let Westminster repeat the mistakes of the past. Independence is the opportunity to turn Scotland into a fairer and more prosperous society - reindustrialising Scotland for the future and creating more job opportunities for young people. Vote Yes, and put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands - in the hands of your children and your grandchildren."
Scottish Health Secretary can’t even agree with himself on the "SNP’s NHS lies"
Labour’s Shadow Scottish Secretary, Margaret Curran, has accused Health Secretary Alex Neil of misleading people across Scotland after he directly contradicted himself regarding privatisation in the NHS.
Speaking on ‘The Westminster Hour’ on Sunday, Alex Neil said that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was “the biggest threat to the future of the health service in Scotland”, despite denying this was the case in response to a Parliamentary Question one year ago.
Margaret Curran commenting said: "The SNP’s lies on the NHS are falling apart. The Health Secretary can’t even agree with himself. The truth is that the biggest threat to the future of the health service in Scotland are the SNP’s plans for independence. They have lied throughout this campaign about the Scottish NHS and they can’t explain to people how the health service will be funded after independence."
Concluding Ms Curran said: “Only a ‘No’ vote on Thursday means a stronger Scotland, with jobs across the country protected and our NHS secured.”
Speaking on ‘The Westminster Hour’ on Sunday, Alex Neil said that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was “the biggest threat to the future of the health service in Scotland”, despite denying this was the case in response to a Parliamentary Question one year ago.
Margaret Curran commenting said: "The SNP’s lies on the NHS are falling apart. The Health Secretary can’t even agree with himself. The truth is that the biggest threat to the future of the health service in Scotland are the SNP’s plans for independence. They have lied throughout this campaign about the Scottish NHS and they can’t explain to people how the health service will be funded after independence."
Concluding Ms Curran said: “Only a ‘No’ vote on Thursday means a stronger Scotland, with jobs across the country protected and our NHS secured.”
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