IF anyone had accidentally teleported from outer space into the CBI Scotland dinner last week, they could have been forgiven for thinking they had pitched up at an anti-independence rally.

 

Thankfully, Ayrshire entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter was on hand this week with a much more open-minded approach to the constitutional debate. And, in an inspirational address, he hammered home the importance of those in business spreading the opportunities created by their success as widely as possible to help eradicate poverty in Scotland, whatever the constitutional set-up.

In his speech at our inaugural Inspiring City Awards in Glasgow, Sir Tom Hunter criticised politicians over the kids' "playground fight" nature of the debate over independence.

The entrepreneur, who has never indicated how he would be likely to vote in next year's independence referendum, emphasised the importance of the population understanding what going it alone, or indeed an outcome of staying in the UK, would mean for them.

"False promises don't fit, nor do the politics of fear," he declared.

Speeches in Glasgow last week by Nosheena Mobarik, outgoing chairwoman of the Confederation of British Industry in Scotland, and CBI national president Sir Michael Rake focused on the questions which the employers' organisation wants answered by the Scottish Government ahead of the referendum. They reeled off a long list of question topics, including currency and financial oversight, European Union membership, and the cost of statehood.

However, while thankfully acknowledging it was up to the electorate whether or not Scotland should become independent, the CBI very much gave the impression that it had made up its mind that potential problems it had identified with independence were insurmountable regardless of the answers.

Warnings about the potential dangers of independence were very much the theme of last week's CBI Scotland annual dinner. And there was no danger of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg deviating from the script as he delivered a familiar speech which warned of the perils of independence, and at the same time attempted to claim that the Coalition's economic medicine was working in spite of the UK's excruciatingly slow recovery.

Mr Clegg's speech was very much in keeping with Sir Tom's depiction of the arguments so far as a playground fight.

The Better Together campaign has tended to raise the spectre of the bogeyman. It resembles, in some ways, the efforts in Greece to prevent the population voting against continuing austerity in favour of a go-it-alone approach, dwelling on fear of the unknown rather than what might be done to improve things within the current set-up.

Both Sir Tom and the CBI called for answers to inform the constitutional debate, but their tones contrasted starkly. Notably, Sir Tom called for answers from politicians on both sides of the debate. But Ms Mobarik was at pains to highlight the fact that the CBI had asked the Scottish Government more than 200 questions.

Sir Michael said of the questions for the Scottish Government: "These need to be clearly answered so the Scottish electorate can make their decision with full knowledge of the potential business and economic implications of independence."

It is worth observing that this statement came hard on the heels of his declaration that "the CBI is not convinced of the economic case for independence".

The CBI is correct in its assertion that there are questions which must be answered. But the electorate could do with some answers from the Better Together campaign as well, in terms of what the future holds for the Scottish people within the Union.

It is also important to note that, while business should have a voice in the independence debate, there are arguably more important issues around the type of society to which the people of Scotland aspire. The Better Together campaign must heed these aspirations, and, from its standpoint, aim to persuade the Scottish people these can be achieved within the UK.

Sir Tom is to be congratulated for highlighting the need to broaden out the debate on Scotland's future and to consider how, once and for all, the blight of poverty can be eradicated.

The CBI focused last week on what the constitutional environment could do, or not do, for business. This is understandable, given the business organisation's remit of looking after the interests of its members.

In the past, the CBI has often focused on what the education system can do for business. While the education system should consider the types of jobs which the children of today will be doing in the future, it has much broader objectives. Not too many teachers would presume to tell businesspeople how to run their companies. Likewise, businesspeople must remember that teaching is not their profession.

In some respects, the CBI tends to come from the perspective of what society can do for business.

Sir Tom is coming from the perspective of what business can do for society. This is the right approach.