Independence referendum: No campaign rushes to convince Scotland to stay September 7, 2014 Westminster’s political heavyweights pressed the panic button last night in the race to keep Scotland part of the United Kingdom, spurred into action by a shock poll showing the campaign for independence edging ahead for the first time. The damning new figures by YouGov show the Better Together campaign, backed by Labour, the Conservatives and [...]
Interview: YouGov’s Anthony Wells on dropping a Scottish independence bombshell September 7, 2014 “Polling is powerful stuff,” YouGov’s resident political expert Anthony Wells explains. “Any poll is a snapshot, but they are sort of self-fulfilling. If a party is doing well and people see it as doing well then they are more likely to back it.” That’s what’s happening in Scotland, Wells adds. If anyone understands the power [...]
United against Scottish independence but Miliband’s unholy alliance with Cameron is broken September 4, 2014 Westminter’s biggest political hitters, David Cameron and Ed Miliband, raised the stakes in the Scottish referendum debate yesterday by turning against each other just weeks before voters go to the polls. During a visit to Lanarkshire yesterday, the Labour leader sought to position himself as odds-on favourite to win the general election in 2015, an [...]
Scottish independence is “not about SNP” – so who are the other political players in Scotland? September 4, 2014 Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has said that the independence referendum is not about the SNP, but about giving Scottish people the right to have the government of their choice. At an event in Glasgow marking his 10th year as leader of the pro-independence party, he told the BBC: "This isn't about the SNP, [...]
Vote No to Scottish independence urges Lloyd’s of London boss John Nelson September 3, 2014 The chairman of Lloyd’s of London last night urged Scots to vote No in the independence referendum which is just two weeks away, warning a Yes vote would be a blow to the City. At the insurance market’s annual dinner, John Nelson threw his weight behind a united UK, telling guests he would be “extremely [...]
PMQs: David Cameron hijacked by ‘Yes’ poster as he hits out at Scottish Independence campaign September 3, 2014 David Cameron was interrupted by an SNP member waving a 'Yes' poster as he attempted to derail arguments for Scottish independence at Prime Minister's Questions today. The Prime Minister had an unusually easy time of it at the pre-lunch session, with many in the House of Commons asking questions that allowed him to go over well-worn [...]
Sterling sinks as independence win in Scotland looks more likely September 2, 2014 The pound slumped yesterday in the wake of a fresh poll which suggested that Scotland’s looming independence referendum could go right down to the wire. The Yes campaign was buoyed by the release of a YouGov poll which showed 47 per cent of voters were ready to back independence, against 53 per cent who planned [...]
Salmond’s independence folly: A Yes vote will damage more than just Scotland September 2, 2014 In less than three weeks’ time, we will know the outcome. Will the United Kingdom still be united, or will the 307-year old Union break? In global London, the question of Scottish independence may seem somewhat archaic. But should Scotland go its own way, the implications will be felt well south of Hadrian’s Wall. To [...]
Scottish businesses vote Yes for independence – the large and the small August 28, 2014 More than 200 Scottish business leaders yesterday published a letter in support of Scotland leaving the UK, one day after a rival group of 130 leaders had backed keeping the Union. The letter was signed by some prominent figures including Stagecoach chair Sir Brian Souter and the former boss of William Hill, Ralph Topping. But critics [...]
Scottish independence is “a one way ticket to uncertainty” says CBI chief Sir Mike Rake August 28, 2014 In a fresh blow for Yes Scotland, the president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has told an audience of business leaders that a vote for independence would be "a one way ticket to uncertainty with no return". Speaking at the CBI Scotland Annual Dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Sir Mike Rake emphasised that [...]