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.

[gussiegrips]

Mr Darling - re. the advert with the tea-drinking woman who thought she'd better just vote the way her cereal-munching-husband, Paul, thought was best...

I presume that it was targeting the undecided, middle class wife and mothers, of whom, I am one. An irritated one now, as a type, we UMCWAMs don't respond favourably to being patronised.

Was the advert written by a man? One who'd possibly never met an undecided, middle class wife and mother?

[grandtheftmanual]

To Mr Salmond. How do you intend to create more jobs, and which industries are these jobs going to be created in. Please do not just answer that you will lower rates of corporation tax as I do not understand how this will lead to the 'fairer society' you keep suggesting an independent Scotland will be. There was much consternation when it was discovered huge companies like Amazon did not pay their fair share of tax, why should companies setting up in an independent Scotland not pay their way, especially if their head office is perhaps outwith Scotland.

[winnertakesitall]

Mr Darling, can you tell me honestly what will happen to the status of Scots currently living in England?

Mr Salmond will tell us that they will be EU citizens (and I'm not too interested in speculation), but as this is yet uncertain and unproven- what will happen if they are not EU citizens?

Will my husband need to do visa runs even though he is working for a major British employer, or will he be given the chance to chose rUK residency, because he originally held a passport of Great Britain?

[nicename]

Why did expat Scots not get a vote, but 16 year olds do (with no mortgage, no kids at school, and most likely who have never worked, brought up a child, or paid tax?). I'm Scottish and have family and property there - where's my vote?

What passport will my son have? Being born in England to a Scottish mother, will be he entitled to free secondary education (not that it will still be being offered when he is 18).

Can the country sustain the free higher education, free prescriptions etc if independence happens?

Will we have an army/navy/airforce? What about the NHS?

[JustineMumsnet]

Hello all,
We're anticipating lots of questions on this thread so please stick to the one question, one poster rule or there's a severe danger your post will be unanswered. If you'd like us to delete a post with multiple questions in and re post just one, do let us know.

[TensionWheelsCoolHeels]

I'd like to ask AD why, when the SNP actually got their majority in the Scottish Parliament, why did Westminster/anyone with an ounce of savvy about them, not actually begin to look at the reasons why SNP managed to achieve a majority against the odds and address these issues 3 years ago? Because leaving this until 9/10/11 days before the actual referendum, after postal votes have been cast, is a shocking state of affairs. An affront to democracy as others have said. The contempt Westminster, on all sides, has shown for the concerns of the Scottish electorate is exactly why we are facing the possibility of the union breaking up.

I'm utterly appalled by the woeful Better Together campaign, and the utter contempt shown for the genuine concerns people have about the current state of affairs for Scotland and the UK as a whole. The signs have been screaming at MPs for a long time - and none of you bothered to find out what was behind this, or what changes people want.

Devo Max being ruled out in its entirety at the outset of this referendum debate was the 2nd mistake, after not even bothering to find out why the SNP managed to get their majority. I'd have taken that option, no problem. Instead, I'm facing doom & gloom if I vote yes, & doom & gloom if I vote no because the current coalition has made sure I'm one of those squeezed in the interests of being 'all in this together' while MPs are now getting payrises. I've had no wage increase for 5 years, bills/childcare all going up while my income is has shrunk massively. Nothing I've heard from Better Together addresses the real, genuine concerns I've got, or how this will get better for me/my family.

[MrsStatham]

Why are the English and Welsh not given a vote on this. It affects us too.

[cedricsneer]

George Orwell famously said “ Nationalism is power-hunger tempered by self-delusion. If one harbours in one’s mind a nationalistic loyalty or hatred, certain facts, though known to be true, are inadmissible”.

Do you think, Mr Salmond, that this quotation might reasonably apply to you? For example, when Mr Darling pointed out how dangerously dependent your economic forecasts are on the contribution which North Sea Oil taxation revenues makes to GDP and he asked you what you would do in the event of a collapse in the price of oil, you dismissed his question as scaremongering. In short, Mr Salmond, has your headlong desire to take Scotland out of the UK family blinded you to the facts?

[AnnieHoo]

Would the Bank of England fund Scottish banks under proposals for a separate Scotland to continue using the pound without a currency union?

[WaffleWiffle]

I am from Nottingham. I am not Scottish.

I'm worried that Scotland might not be part of my county anymore. I don't want them to leave.

Do the Scottish people realise that most British non-Scots do not want them to leave?

[OOAOML]

Justine quite a few of us have asked a question to each panelist. I realise not everything will be answered, but could you give some guidance to us (on both sides) re this?

[nicename]

I am Scottish! I will be a bloody foreigner here and in Scotland!

[WildThong]

To Mr Salmond
One of your 'Yes' campaigners guaranteed to me that the Queen would be "the last crowned Windsor that Scotland sees"
Would this be the policy of the SNP in the event of a Yes vote and if you are returned as the party of government after that?

[SquirrelledAway]

Mr Salmond, what plans would an independent Scotland have for honouring tax commitments made to companies for the decommissioning of oil installations, particularly given the number of North Sea fields rapidly approaching end-of-life and the recent sharp decline of oil revenues which has significantly contributed to Scotland's £12bn deficit in 2012-13?

[Tinkerball]

Justine do you mean one question, or one question for each of them? I asked one of each of them but if it's only one then scrub the AS one.

[JustineMumsnet]

Tinkerball, safer to pick one question to one leader or one that's relevant to both. (Though obviously we'll try to get through as many as humanly possible)

[BardarbungaBardarbing]

Mr Salmond what would be your mood in the event of a Yes vote of 51%?

[Solopower1]

To both: What arrangements are in place to help the 40% of Scottish voters who are going to be disappointed by the result of the Referendum? There are going to be a lot of angry people in Scotland on the 19th September, either way.

[TheBigBumTheory]

An NHS question

Will Scottish transplant patients following a Yes Vote be able to access the European and former UK pool of organs, or do they face a greatly reduced chance of a match within a limited Scottish pool?

[GoblinLittleOwl]

I would like to know why I am not allowed a vote (English)as it is becoming increasingly obvious that a Yes vote will have massive implications for the rest of the UK.
Also, why are the Scottish Yes vote campaigners becoming so rude about the English? We have not oppressed them or denied them freedom and I am tired of their unpleasant jibes about us, which are not being reciprocated.

[Cherriesandapples]

Do you think it is right that my children's grandparents living in Scotland (one English born and one Scottish born) will live in a foreign country to their grandchildren who were born in England but live in Wales?

[chemenger]

The cost of pensions is lower in Scotland is lower than the uk on the whole because life expectancy is lower (information provided by a Yes campaigner at a public meeting), is it intended that this will continue in an independent Scotland?

[soupmaker]

Mr Darling, why did Gordon Brown offer a timetable for new, as yet unspecified, powers for the Scottish Parliament only yesterday? Why was the Labour Party not out campaigning for new powers prior to yesterday, indeed why not legislate for them when the Labour Party was in government?

[frankie80]

Mr Salmond:

I would like to know if you will take a stronger stance regarding the racism and intimidation coming from a sizeable number of YES supporters.

I know bad behaviour has happened on both sides, but I feel it is much more on the YES side.

I have had English friends told to go back home, cars have been vandalised for having 'no' stickers on them, NO posters have been torn down and the language used on social media should anyone dare to declare themselves as 'no' is really shocking.

I feel your response has been rather dismissive and this greatly concerns me.

Many people have told me their intention to vote 'no' simply because of this behaviour.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

[frankie80]

am I allowed to ask another question?

Mr Salmond, what will happen to jobs at Faslane? Will people lose them and have to reapply under the new Scottish Defence Force? The wider community will suffer if jobs go.