25.05.12
Scottish independence ‘Yes’ campaign launched
The Yes campaign for independence in Scotland is launching today, with support from the SNP and other smaller parties. A referendum is likely to be held in 2014.
The campaign will be launched with Scottish celebrities and businesses as well as a new website promoting independence. The referendum could be a simple yes/no ballot, but the SNP is open to include a second question on devo max.
Scotland’s Deputy First Minister and SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon told Radio 4's Today programme: “This is not about breaking up, it's not about separating. We can continue to share things where that makes sense.
“But independence puts powers over our economy, over our political life into the hands of the people ofScotland.”
A Yes Scotland spokesman added: “For us, this has to be the biggest community-based campaign inScotland’s history.”
But a YouGov poll of 1,000 voters showed that 33% agreed with independence, whilst 57% were opposed and 10% undecided.
Scottish Labour MP and former Chancellor Alistair Darling, who commissioned the poll, said: “The Nationalists are entitled to their view but the majority of us simply aren't buying the independence policy they’re selling.
“At today’s launch, they'll try and suggest they have the momentum, but over five years, indeed for more than 40 years, the numbers on independence haven't really shifted.
“Even after winning two Scottish election victories, raising a war chest of millions and deploying the full resources of the Scottish government, Alex Salmond has failed to convince Scots that they should leave theUK.
“The Nationalists will go to great lengths to try to prove there is a groundswell towards leaving theUK, but the truth is that their campaign has stalled.Independenceis as unpopular as it ever has been.”
(Image: Alan Stanton)
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