Referendum

No Campaign challenged to square ‘Scotland Extinguished’ position with Claim of Right

Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:03

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darling Anti-independence politicians, including Better Together head Alistair Darling, have been challenged to square their campaign’s claims that Scotland has been ‘extinguished’ with their previous backing for the sovereign rights of people in Scotland.

Earlier this week, the Tories’ sole MP in Scotland David Mundell confirmed that he was perfectly comfortable with the description that Scotland had been extinguished by the union.

Report claims Scotland needs tax and welfare powers to address inequality

Thursday, 14 February 2013 20:23

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Leading economists have made clear that without full powers over tax and welfare, Scotland will be unable to address the growing inequality people face as part of the UK.

The Fiscal Commission Working Group’s report which was published earlier this week makes clear that since 1975 income inequality in the UK has increased at a faster rate than any other OECD country, damaging economic growth and limiting the potential of people in Scotland.

We don’t have to be balanced in Referendum Debate says BBC

Thursday, 14 February 2013 00:00

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By a Newsnet reporter

The BBC has claimed that it doesn’t have to present viewers and listeners with a balanced view of the independence debate.

Newsnet Scotland can reveal that in an extraordinary email, a licence payer who had complained about imbalance in a recent radio debate was told “…we are not in an official referendum campaign and therefore do not have to balance it out between yes and no.”

Moore forced into panic statements as ‘legal advice’ report backfires

Tuesday, 12 February 2013 06:59

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By Martin Kelly

Scottish Secretary of State Michael Moore has been forced to issue clarification statements following the publication of the UK government’s document into what it claims will be the consequences of Scottish independence.

The Lib Dem MP found himself on the backfoot after the report claimed that an independent Scotland would be treated as a brand new state, denied any of the UK’s current obligations and benefits.

Not the job of Better Together to define a No vote says Alistair Darling

Wednesday, 06 February 2013 07:53

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darling By G.A.Ponsonby

The head of Better Together, Alistair Darling, has said that the No campaign has no intention of spelling out what awaits Scots should they vote against independence in 2014.

Responding to a question on BBC Radio Scotland, the Labour MP insisted that the alliance of Labour, Conservatives and the Lib Dems was formed only to persuade Scots to stay in the UK and that the campaign group was not set up to define what awaited a No vote.

UK Government urged to follow Electoral Commission recommendations as independence transition spelled out

Tuesday, 05 February 2013 21:58

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Scotland’s process of transition to an independent country following a ‘Yes’ vote in next year’s historic referendum has been outlined in a new paper published by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The publication, which sets out the steps required to establish the solid constitutional platform that would give the Scottish Government elected in May 2016 the powers to build a newly independent Scotland, comes just days after the Electoral Commission called on both sides of the campaign to set out the process following the referendum.

Labour MP dismisses comments from Irish Minister over independent Scotland EU membership

Sunday, 03 February 2013 23:55

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By G.A.Ponsonby

A Scottish Labour MP has dismissed comments from Ireland’s European Minister after she insisted that an independent Scotland would not be forced out of the European Union.

Michael Connarty, who is the MP for Linlithgow and East Falkirk, claimed that an independent Scotland would require a new application to re-join the EU and that the country might find itself waiting in line behind other countries who had already applied.