CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

White Paper (THE #indyref thread)

(2915 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by Morningsider
  • Latest reply from chdot
  • This topic is closed

  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Scottish independence is the way ahead, according to a former Liberal Democrat MP who today revealed he had decided to break with his party’s line and vote Yes.

    John Barrett, who represented Edinburgh West, made clear he was “no fan” of the SNP and vowed to remain a Lib Dem, but he said independence offered Scotland an opportunity for change which would be “forever lost with a No vote”.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/lib-dem-ex-mp-john-barrett-to-vote-yes-1-3516434

    Posted 10 years ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Scottish independence: Scotland should use pound, says Adam Smith Institute

    "

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28869991

    Posted 10 years ago #
  3. Instography
    Member

    Talk about strange bedfellows.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  4. algo
    Member

    "Talk about strange bedfellows."

    Tell me about it - lots of lefty yes promoters on facebook citing that without really thinking…. I'd personally rather they didn't.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  5. crowriver
    Member

    John Barrett:

    "I am now less concerned with the future electoral prospects of my own party and more concerned about the country I would like to see future generations grow up in. I want to see a fairer country at home, with access to a high-quality health and education system for all, a compassionate and considerate country which cares for those less able; a greener country and an internationalist country."

    Refreshing to someone standing by their principles.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  6. Stickman
    Member

    "Refreshing to someone standing by their principles."

    ....now he is no longer seeking re-election.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  7. Instography
    Member

    @algo
    Maybe they don't know what the Adam Smith Institute is.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    "Maybe they don't know what the Adam Smith Institute is."

    Or perhaps they think the ASI has hijacked the name.

    'How would they have voted'-

    1) Robert Burns

    2) Walter Scott

    3) Adam Smith

    4) etc.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  9. algo
    Member

    @Instography - I can only imagine not...

    Posted 10 years ago #
  10. Instography
    Member

    Game changer 9am tomorrow:

    MEDIA CALL:

    Yes Scotland major announcement - Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh

    The Proclaimers will be in attendance

    Please speculate freely.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  11. crowriver
    Member

    Something to do with "I would walk 500 miles" or maybe "When you go, will you bring back a Letter From America"? Probably not "Sunshine On Leith".

    Posted 10 years ago #
  12. Min
    Member

    In an independent Scotland, the sun will always shine on Leith.

    In an independent Scotland, walking 500 miles will be rendered unnecessary by an extensive network of motorways and bridges.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  13. Instography
    Member

    No offence to their fans but I'm struggling to come up with a major announcement about a campaign for constitutional change that could also involve the Proclaimers.

    So I'm left with a free gig featuring some of Scotland's creative talents, headlined by the Proclaimers.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  14. chdot
    Admin

    "In an independent Scotland, walking 500 miles will be rendered unnecessary"

    Only if the people here also vote for the SNP 'vision' in 2016.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  15. Min
    Member

    True. Keith Brown doesn't need independence to be King of the Road Dual Carriageway.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  16. Snowy
    Member

    In an independent Scotland, walking or cycling 500 miles will be rendered unnecessary impossible by an extensive network of motorways.

    FTFY

    Posted 10 years ago #
  17. crowriver
    Member

    Acyually, you know all this motorway stuff is happened anyway, so I doubt the referendum will change that in the short term, whichever way it goes.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  18. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Scotland Yet, a film about independence, has been released online in an effort to shift the focus of the referendum away from party politics.

    "

    http://www.bellacaledonia.org.uk/2014/08/18/independent-film-makers-release-indyref-film-online

    Posted 10 years ago #
  19. Instography
    Member

    Stand down.

    Word on the twitter is that it's only to announce that they've finally got 1 million "signatures" on their declaration of something. Four weeks to go and they can confirm that they've got the support of 25% of the electorate. Well done.

    If that turns out to be the story.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  20. gembo
    Member

    Just heard the same piece about a former prison in Nigeria on radio 4 today programme that I heard the other day on the same programme. Would such repetition be more or less common with the Scottish broadcasting corporation?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  21. A million pledges of support is pretty impressive IMHO

    That's more than the combined vote the SNP (Scottish Government) and the Lib-Dems (UK government) got in Scotland at the last GE

    Considerably more than the combined Con/LibDem (UK gov)vote got in Scotland at the last GE

    And almost identical to the vote the Labour Party got in Scotland at the last GE

    Scotland's electorate cast 2.4 million votes at the last GE. Even allowing for the assumption the poll will rise for the referendum. 1 million is probably a fair bit more that 25% of the electorate who are bothered enough to vote!

    Posted 10 years ago #
  22. Instography
    Member

    Yes, impressive in a way. In another, not so much. Let's say there's an electorate of 4 million in Scotland, just to keep the numbers simple, and that 75% of them will vote. 3 million. To win, you need 1,500,001 votes.

    It has taken 30 months to get 1 million people committed to constitutional change to go to a website and enter text in four fields. But you need 1.5 million plus to get out of the house and mark a box. And they all have to do it on the same day. I guess it shows what a tough job both sides have to get their armchair supporters out to vote.

    Turnout will be more important than convincing the undecideds. This is about as meaningful as getting something trending on twitter.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  23. calmac
    Member

    @instography, you're not seriously comparing filling in an online form that achieves nothing other than registering your support, and the actual referendum?

    I think the 1 million signatures is pretty impressive in a very politically disengaged country. And I think it's about a million more than the No side have managed...

    Posted 10 years ago #
  24. Stickman
    Member

    Online signatures and polls are fairly easily gamed, so while it's a nice but of PR let's not take it too seriously.

    I looked at the Yes declaration signing page - it looks like all that is needed is a name and correct matching post code. I could easily sign up all of my neighbours and many of my workmates.

    Does anyone believe that this hasn't happened to at least some degree?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  25. chdot
    Admin

    "it looks like all that is needed is a name and correct matching post code"

    Surprised many people signed up at all!

    Posted 10 years ago #
  26. Min
    Member

    It seems rather redundant considering there is going to be a referendum on this very subject on the 18th September. Perhaps they didn't know?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  27. Instography
    Member

    I'm comparing the small amount of effort needed to go to a website and fill in a form with the more substantial effort needed to go to a polling station and vote. And comparing the time it's taken to get those people to a website with the need to get all those voters to do something more substantial all on the same day.

    I mean, I see what the point of it is - a big show of support, a headline grabbing thing, a shot in the arm for troops wearied by the trench warfare of canvassing. It's like the RIC mass canvass - the canvassing is important but the numbers it generates are meaningless.

    I'm agreeing that it's impressive in a way (without even considering stickman's valid point of how easy it is to fake signatures) just not so impressive that it's taken 30 months to do it.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  28. stiltskin
    Member

    Yes, it's pretty clear that this was a momentum gathering PR stunt that has taken rather a long time to come to fruition.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  29. dg145
    Member

    I didn't know about it until today (and wouldn't have added my name to it anyway). I'll be voting Yes. I'm sure there are others like me. Enough of us? We'll find out soon.

    Posted 10 years ago #
  30. stiltskin
    Member

    I wonder how you check who has signed the Declaration. It can't be private surely? I would be interested to see if I have....

    Posted 10 years ago #

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