Scottish Referendum debate - watch with Mumsnet

[KatieMumsnet]

So tonight sees the first TV debate of the Scottish Referendum with First Minister and key advocate of the pro- yes campaign, Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling, leader of the pro-UK Better Together campaign coming together for a head to head debate for the first time.

You can watch live from 8pm on STV and if you're south of the border can tune in via the STV player.

Fancy watching along with us? What are you hoping to see from tonight's debate? What are your thoughts on the campaigns so far?

If you've decided which way to vote, why? And if not, what will help you decide?

Do feel free to share these, and any more thoughts you have

Not sure re the wind farms. There was a recent European Court of Justice ruling that countries don't have to pay energy subsidies cross-border even when they are buying the energy, so the plans to maintain a single UK energy market may or may not happen. As with everything, nobody can say with absolute certainty because the whole array of issues would need to be negotiated. Which will apparently take 18 months with a UK General Election part-way through. Aye right (oh I love the Scottish double negative).

I've been holidaying in Scotland for the last decade, and never had any problem spending Scottish notes in the SE of England when I go home.

I definitely wouldn't be coming to any independence celebrations, I would be quite saddened by a split in the UK, like some other Scottish residents.

I don't think independence would have any impact on foreign tourism. There may be a minor dip in UK tourism if people feel a bit rejected by Scotland or if they choose to keep their holiday spending within the UK economy, but mostly not I would have thought.

To be honest being English I'd be nervous about going to big Yes celebrations - I've been on the receiving end of an anti-English tirade before and it wasn't something I'd want to repeat or my children to experience.

Several English people & lots of other nationalities involved in our local YES campaign.

"I've been on the receiving end of an anti-English tirade"

this is old hat. Never have I heard anyone Scottish slagging off the English personally or giving them a hard time. Most people I know are civil to anyone they meet, in fact I know plenty English people living round about me who haven't had any bother living in Scotland. If living here was so bad, why are there so many families moving to Scotland? Half of Edinburgh is full of the rest of the UK.

It's these kinds of remarks that really get on my nerves.

I have found anti-Englishness much less than when I was young. I'm Scottish and grew up in Scotland, and I've heard some pretty offensive stuff in the past, but much less now. I have seen a few people online ranting about the English, but I assume they are a very small minority and both campaigns have certain elements that are an embarrassment to them. Plus some people who want to make it all about what football team people support.

I really hope people aren't submitted to anti-English attitudes however the vote goes. I've never found anti-Scottishness when I've been in England.

However, I wouldn't be going to independence celebrations obviously.

But irnbru - it happened. Am I not allowed to mention it?

Sorry jimjams that this happened to you, but it's not fair to use this as a means of tarring all Scottish people with the same brush. That was all I meant.

To be fair, I don't think saintly was suggesting it happens all the time, just that it happened to her.

I haven't targeted all Scottish people - I go to Scotland a lot. Some of the comments I have seen made in support of Yes have been pretty anti-English - therefore I would not personally go to a Yes iScotland celebration.

I'm Scottish and I live in a very touristy part of Scotland. I have definitely heard anti-English sentiments expressed here and in other parts Scotland, find it very hard to believe anybody living in Scotland hasn't.

I took my family to see a netball match at the Commonwealth Games - England V Australia - and the Scottish family behind us were encouraging their kids to cheer for the Aussies because, "Scottish people never support England." Found it all a bit sad - young children unquestioningly adopting their parents' prejudices.

Pleased to say they were very much in the minority - most Scots cheered for the English team - as did the England supporters when Scotland played in the next match. As it should be.

"Some of the comments I have seen made in support of Yes have been pretty anti-English - therefore I would not personally go to a Yes iScotland celebration."

So because of a few daft comments that means you'd never go to a possible Yes! iScotland celebration? If not all Scottish people behave this way then why hold back?

Whatever the outcome of the vote, a large number of people are going to be really pissed off about it.

I think big celebrations from either side would be in pretty poor taste - and wouldn't do anything to heal the divide.

Yes, I don't think I'd bother with public celebrations no matter which way the vote goes.

Agreed, I think public celebration from either side would be pretty shit given that it is likely to be pretty close and there are some people who the outcome could be really bad for. We gave to get on as a country after this -rubbing each other's noses in it won't help

Have plans or schedules for the 18/19th been released yet?

No but Im guessing usual 10am-10pm vote? I'm guessing results won't be until well into the 19th especially as it is likely to be close so votes may end up being recounted etc, plus of course lots of observers may slow things down.

Oops - 7am sorry

Numanoid you do realise that just replicating government jobs currently done for the UK for just iScotland is bad news as they an extra expense funded from iScotland taxpayers, so this will make things worse not better.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

I've found this (warning; it should open a PDF!) from the Electoral Management Board.

32 local areas to be counted immediately from 10pm closing.

Basically, 'It should be clear from this analysis that there can be no firm prediction of a time when the result will be known.'

Interestingly, though, The result of the referendum will only be officially declared when all 32 local totals have been provided to the CCO and she has accepted them as valid.... As counts are completed in each of the 32 areas and totals announced, there may be a point, when the remaining certified totals yet to be received from Counting Officers could not change the overall outcome, when the outcome will be known before the national declaration.

Ooh, still reading. It is unlikely to be in the early hours as might have been the experience in previous elections.

Definitely not going to have much sleep that night

Irnbru - my experience of being on the end of an anti English tirade was that it was aggressive & threatening. I know that the vast majority of Scots are not like that - if I thought they were I'd stop visiting, but having seen some of the comments from Yes supporters it's maybe more likely to happen at celebrations than elsewhere & not something I'd want to risk.

Other than that I'm not sure why I'd attend celebrations (other than more jobs for us), I think they'd be divisive & I would like the No's to win.

My initial comment was in response to the suggestion that tourism will be boosted by people flocking to join the celebrations. I don't believe this to be the case.

It'll be nerve-wracking for sure Mollie. I'd like to think I could just to go to bed but I don't know.