Scottish Referendum debate: Alistair Darling and Alex Salmond, Wednesday September 10th, 1.45-2.45pm

[JustineMumsnet]

Hi all,

We're delighted to announce that Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling will both be joining us on Mumsnet this Wednesday at 1.45pm, to take part in a live debate in the lead-up to the Scottish Referendum on September 18th.

The decision with which Scottish voters are faced this month constitutes a significant moment in the history - and future - of Scotland and the UK. And with polls currently predicting a result that's too close to call, this final showdown between the two leaders could potentially prove decisive.

The debate will be conducted along typical Mumsnet webchat lines, but with each guest free to question and respond to the answers of the other. We know the referendum has been a topic of serious discussion on the site (we're currently on IndyRef thread number seven - and counting ...) so in order to ensure that the leaders answer your questions, we're restricting the ability to post to Mumsnetters who'd been members of the site for more than 24 hours before the launch of this thread. Otherwise, the usual guidelines apply.

Please join us on Wednesday at 1.45pm - and if you can't make it then, as ever, do post up any comments or questions in advance.

it would have been difficult to fairly define any other electorate except on the basis of residence

Yes, but my xH is not Scottish and he has a second home here which he uses for every other weekend contact with our son (we are separated). Does this not really mean that he has bought his vote, because he can afford the second property?? His paying day job is not in Scotland so for most of the time he is not here.

Using that logic Mr Salmond, the UK's biggest export market is the EU so we should all use the Euro right?

Mr. Darling
Your colleague and fellow the opposition backbencher Gordon Brown has said in the event of a no vote there'll be new powers for the Scottish Government.
Could you please explain exactly what these powers would be and also explain why your fellow campaigner David Cameron kept Devo Max off the ballot paper?

AS, "I would have loved to have had a broader franchise" - so, are you suggesting that you wanted the Scottish people who live in the rest of the UK to vote and the British Government didn't? Seriously?

@SquidgyMummy

Hello Mr Salmond, How long will it take from the time of a postive Yes vote to the practical implementation of a new country, eg new passports, border controls, etc?

Hi SquidgyMummy. There really won't be border controls any more than there are right now with Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands as part of the Common Travel Area - that was just another of the scare stories the No Camp have run. In fairness, they disowned this one within hours over the weekend, so I think we can be certain now on this point.

Following a vote for independence in the referendum, a realistic independence date is 24 March 2016. This will allow time for the preparations necessary for the Scottish Parliament to take on the new powers of independence.

The IMF are now saying that austerity doesn't work, yet all the parties are signed up to austerity except the Greens and the SNP. We know that the entirety of the UK growth is down to the London property market, and asset bubbles burst... so it appears that our economic policy favours investment in the form of speculation, instead of investment in the form of industrial development. We are very firmly headed in a direction of travel that is going to increase the reliance of the entire economy on the banking sector. Banking sector crashes come in 9 year cycles, so we've probably got about 5 years to reform the system so that we don't have a rerun (or worse?) of the 1998 crash. But I don't see any plans from the UK government to do this (are there plans that I've missed?) Why isn't there a will to reform this now?

"England is Scotland's biggest export market and Scotland is England's second biggest export market after the USA. It would therefore be in both countries' interests to share financial assets and liabilities in a sensible and cooperative way - a new partnership based on equality."

So Scotland needs to sell to England but England actually sells more to the USA. England doesn't have a union with the US and that's apparently not a problem.

Don't buy those answers: Scotland is a net exporter of energy; "lower prices" in terms of a shopping basket have to be seen in context of percentage of take home pay; and higher public spending is related to what is a somewhat circular argument - it depends on what is in the public sector (NHS for one for the moment, in a UK contaxt ) - Scottish Water counts as Public Sector (and therefor public expenditure) in Scotland as it hasn't been privatised, yet in England it counts as private expenditure. Both the English and the Scots pay for their water.

That was to Alistair Darling by the way, although Mr Salmond is welcome to answer it too

@venusandmars

Mr Darling, Luckily I did my research before coming on this thread, and I read properly the statement from Standard Life with regards to their contingency planning - which is exactly what any sensible organisation would be expected to do. Unless there is another more recent statement which is no yet in the public domain.

I'm a 'no thanks' voter, but very to see that kind of incorrect response.

Hello venusandmars. Sorry but we're at crossed purposes here. Let me clear it up. David Nish, the CEO, of Standard Life issued a statement today (10 Sep). He says the company is planning for new companies in England to which they can transfer parts of their business. He also says that there is uncertainty around a range of issues over separation, including the currency, membership of the EU, regulation and consumer protection. You might also want to have a look at what oil expert Sir Ian Wood has said today - that the nationalists have misled Scotland on oil. Both BP and Shell said today it would be best to stay in the UK. This is not my verdict - it's employers. Why risk jobs with a Yes vote when real change is coming with a No vote.

Mr Salmond: I would like to know why your commitment to a fairer, more equal society stops at the border. Why are you not willing to keep Scotland in the UK to strengthen the campaign against austerity measures across the UK?

It is impossible to take these claims seriously when it appears you only want social justice for your those you see as your own.

The argument for a common currency is based on the common sense argument that England is Scotland's biggest export market and Scotland is England's second biggest export market after the USA.

This is false.

40% of it rUK trade is with the eurozone
20% of it is with the US.
10% of it is Scottish

So Scotland is at least 3rd.

It would therefore be in both countries' interests to share financial assets and liabilities in a sensible and cooperative way - a new partnership based on equality.

If you want a partnership, why are you declaring independence?

Sensible and co-operative for Scotland is not sensible for the rUK.

Finally, Scotland has a population of 5 million and rUK would number over 50 million. Why should they be weighted equally?

we should work with our neighbours, not throw stones at them
Yeah, that kind of comment really helps elevate the discussion.
Anymore pithy (sic!) comments to increase the tone?

Better Togethers position on the pound:

The only way to guarantee we keep the UK pound as our own currency is to stay part of the United Kingdom.

The UK pound is one of the oldest, strongest and most successful currencies in the world. Using the UK pound has meant we have been protected from the worst of the Eurozone crisis.

The nationalists assert that we own the UK pound, but the pound is the currency of the UK.

We know that If we leave the UK, we leave the UK pound.

No matter which way you look at it, staying in the UK and keeping the pound as our currency is best for Scottish jobs and businesses"

bettertogether.net/the-facts/entry/keeping-the-pound

Weatherall, last I checked you weren't moderating this debate? So please stop.

AS: Using the pound without a currency union means Scotland won't have full fiscal control - the Bank of England will set interest rates and have to approve Scotland's budget. That's a funny sort of independence!
Voters in an independent Scotland using the pound in sterlingisation will have even less influence over Scotland's economy than they have now!

Scotland is England's second biggest export market after the USA

AD, please can you comment on Magrat's question?

MagratsHair Wed 10-Sep-14 14:19:02
Good question myfavouritebookis I would also like to ask this as well:

If Scotland becomes independent and fails economically, will rUK be expected (forced?) to bail them out?

weatherall - no it wouldn't "throwing stones"- if there was a currency union then the Bank of England would have to consider the Scottish economy when deciding interest rates. Why should it? - Scotland will have chosen independence and the UK should set rates commensurate with the performance of the UK economy, and the UK economy alone - shy should it have to consider the scottish one?

Mr Salmond. Why did you lie about having legal advice re EU membership and then spend taxpayers money to try and cover this up from an FOI request? How can we take your word on anything?

Santana- the eurozone isn't a country.

Hey weatherall - lots of qs here and we want the guests to get through as many as possible, and tbh our webchat guidelines do call for civility and not posting lots of repeat questions. Understand it's a heated situation but would be good if all posters could stick to the Guidelines please.

Also, Alex, I'm sorry but I don't buy your answer on negative campaigning. Sure, of course you should denounce bad behaviour from either side, but actually yours is a bit beyond the pale. I would like to ask you specifically about your members' sexist and mysoginist responses to Claire Lally and JK Rowling ( www.buzzfeed.com/jonstone/scottish-nationalists-who-reacted-really-badly-to-jk-rowl#1tvs3q8 ) . How on earth can you as a movement say you are trying to gain women's vote when this is what happens when women question or disagree with your policies and you don't denounce them publicly?

If you tell a lie often enough it becomes the truth. Isn't that what you are doing when you say that you have led a positive campaign?

Thank you both for answering my question.

Alex, I can't thank you enough for the reduction in business rates, it may have been one of the reasons we've been able to carry on.

Alistair, the 63 millions hasn't helped though has it. And with further cuts, I don't see how things can improve.

It's a yes from me.

Are we only supposed to post once? Can't we comment on answers?