Anyone who has an hour to spare might like to spend it watching last night's Big Debate on Scottish independence. Just click the picture:
I guess this will be the first of several dozen such debates over the next two-and-a-half years. I think I'd award the first round to Patrick Harvie of the Green Party. On subjects like defence and who should be head of state, he was outstanding.
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8 comments:
Why no Lib Dem I wonder?
I guess because the BBC wanted to have equal numbers on both sides of the debate, Glyn. In a panel of four the LibDems could be included if either Labour or the Tories stood down (if you can imagine that happening) ... or alternatively they could be in a panel of six if the Scottish Socialists or another pro-independence group or person (Margo Macdonald, maybe) were on the panel.
But it puts the Greens in a very good position, and that is probably no bad thing from the point of view of the Yes campaign. It needs to be seen as something more than a position only supported by the SNP.
It's going to be a slog - but it's good that the SNP have started early - to find out which Unionists arguments are worthy of rebuttal.
I can simply not see what Wales would gain from being more independent.
Appreciate your views on this matter Oversetter - and i know they are shared by a number of people in wales. But do take a look at this interesting website which presents a number of good arguments in favour of a independent Wales.
http://www.welshindependence.net/p/busting-myths.html
Leigh Richards
swansea.
Interesting debate.The SNP are obviously going to use the line -it's not about us, it's about Scotland- which is quite canny in my view.
They are also emphasizing that the key decisions about Scotland's future will be made in the election which would immediately follow a YES vote. They are right in this respect of course, but I just don't think that this approach is going to win over the 30/40% of the Scottish population who are undecided at the moment. As the main proponents of independence, the SNP have got to outline what these big decisions would be before that eventual scenario- especially in a fiscal sense. As the programme showed, things such as confusion as to which currency will be used, and the possibility that the Bank of England would still be setting interest rates and so on, are going to be mercilessly exposed by the unionist parties. I still think that the SNP have a good chance,especially with their emphasis on building a nation wide grass-roots movement,which could bypass the traditional media in Scotland. But they have to clarify some key issues for people in much finer detail.
I'd agree that Harvey was the best. For some reason Sturgeon didn't come across very well at all. Davidson however was extremely annoying and rude- she kept on shouting over people.
Aled - that is exactly what the SNP are doing. The white paper next year will describe the mechanics of independence, and at the same time, but separately, they will be describing their own vision for an independent Scotland. The Greens will also give their vioin, as will the Scottish Socialists. It will impale the Unionist parties on the hornss of a dilema - if they do not describe what they will do if there is a YES vote they will look arrogant and anti-Scottish. If they do, it will be an admission of defeat.
Anon, Sturgeon could not be heard above the school bully Ruthie davidson, and the presenter did not give her the opportunity to answer points put - often aggressively - to her by the audience.
It was disgraceful BBC bias, and has caused quite a stir in the Scottish blogosphere.
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