WHY does Alex Salmond have a problem with women?
asked a female friend the other day. I paused, raised an eyebrow and gave my best politician's reply. "Why do you think Alex Salmond has a problem with women?"
My friend, who, incidentally, is an English mum-of-three, said she thought the First Minister always came across as too macho and too divisive for most women. It was an interesting observation and one, I have to admit, I have heard before, mainly from Mr Salmond's political opponents. No surprise there.
The issue of Scotland's female vote is an interesting one given that it could well be that it is Scottish women who hold the key to whether or not the United Kingdom is ultimately broken up. The issue gained prominence again this week when Yes Scotland sources revealed a notable shift among female voters towards independence had been detected according to its private research. Women have thus far in public opinion polls been consistently against independence. Last month, a survey showed 25% of women favoured it while 55% were against; the figures for men were 36% and 47%. Interestingly, the snapshot also showed women were less likely to have made up their minds – 21% compared to 17% of men.
The general breakdown of polls tends to indicate those most opposed to Scotland leaving the UK are the young, the old and women. Those most in favour often appear to be the so-called "Braveheart generation" of middle-aged men. One interesting aspect of the Yes campaign's private research was that no detailed numbers were given. Indeed, Better Together was quick off the mark, insisting polling rules meant the Yes Campaign must publish the details to which their opponents replied that private polling was private polling.
The fact the general assertion was made public seems a tacit acknowledgement that the Yes campaign has more to do to convince women of the merits of independence.
One move in this direction came last month when Nicola Sturgeon – perhaps it is no coincidence she is currently leading the pro-independence charge in the media – declared an SNP Government in an independent Scotland would scrap the Coalition's planned universal credit system and the bedroom tax. Nationalist sources made clear this was a determined attempt to woo female voters and more targeted policy would follow in the months ahead.
So should Mr Salmond and his team of lieutenants be worried about the female vote? It must be noted Margaret Thatcher, once described as the "best man in the Cabinet", was loathed by many women yet still won three general elections. A large tranche of female voters had to have voted for her.
Equally, when the FM won his landslide victory in 2011, a large number of women helped to create the SNP majority Government. In other words, the female vote cannot be taken for granted one way or the other.
No doubt once the "phoney war" is over and the referendum battle proper begins, if the opinion polls continue to show the women's vote is eluding the pro-independence campaign, we might yet see Mr Salmond showing his feminine side in interviews with Woman's Weekly and Cosmopolitan.
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