Rolling blog: referendum launch day

He unveiled the 81-page document at the Scottish Parliament and was then attending a press conference in the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle.

Here's our real-time account of the day:

 

4.55pm

And that's it over. To a smattering of applause, Salmond leaves the stage and heads for the cameras.

Personally,  I'm off for a coffee. You need your caffeine on a 1000-day campaign.

4.46pm

Salmond is asked what he thinks about Jeremy Paxman and the role of the BBC.

"I think Jeremy Paxman is a fine interviewer and a fine recruiter for the SNP," he says.

Salmond also says it's a poor time for the BBC to be cutting back on its Scottish politics coverage. "But no complaints about Jeremy Paxman."

Salmond again hints that he might go for a Devo Max only referendum if Westminster refuses to remove the ties from a Section 30 order.

Watch that hare run.

4.37pm

"I'm absolutely confident we're going to win this referendum," says Salmond.

He said something similar before the Glenrothes by-election (which Labour won).

4.30pm

Salmond asked how he will measure "wide support" for Devo Max by a Bilbao journalist.

He says if there's a "strong voice" from civic Scotland (them again) then it would be unreasonable not to listen to that voice.

"I think we will recognise a valid voice from civic Scotland if it comes forward."

In another words, I'll decide.

4.25pm

Salmond says that if there is a "significant" strand of opinion favouring a third question it would be unfair to omit it from the ballot.

Madrid newspaper asks about Spain vetoing Scottish membership to EU because of jitters over break-away of Catalonia.

Salmond says Scottish independence would be "sui generis", hence no precedent being set.

Scotland would not be an accession state but a successor state within the EU.  Scots also currently EU citizens.  Says no one seriously suggesting Scotland would be frozen out of EU.

4.17pm

Salmond says that if there was no Section 30 order (because of intolerable strings) then the SNP government would revert to its old position and hold a referendum under its own powers.

He points out that even the coalition doesn't dispute that Holyrood could legally hold a ballot on devo max – a clear fallback option there.

4.12pm

Salmond says Friday's talks with Michael Moore have been postponed because of the Scottish Secretary's chickenpox

4.09pm

The BBC's Brian Taylor asks if the Electoral Commission could over-rule the question if it didn't like it.

Salmond says he would send the question to the Commission for comment, but ducks whether it would have a veto.

He also concentrates on the current simple question, rather than a possible three-option ballot.

The wind now really starting to sound wild. Stormy times are coming.

4.05pm

After quoting Burns again in defence of independence, Salmond runs through the limits on the current devolution settlement.

“We have no ability to protect Scots frightened of the changes on welfare reform.

“No ability to decide whether our sons or daughters are sent to fight in illegal wars like Iraq.”

He says an independent Scotland would emerge as the 6th wealthiest nation in the OECD.

“We offer malice towards nobody,” he says. “We seek to play a responsible role in the international community of nations.”

For the benefit of the overseas press, he says that this process has been an entirely democratic process without bloodshed.

“Late that great debate now begin,” he concludes before the Q&A.

4pm

Sturgeon says Scotland's  journey has been helped to its present state in large measure by Salmond.

The FM enters to silence.

A thousand cameras flash as he holds up the consulation document.

He claims the Great Hall was “forced” on the government as hardly anywhere was big enough to contain all the interested media. Ah-hem.

3.50pm

Bruce Crawford kicks off proceedings by urging the foreign press to enjoy Edinburgh.

Now a four-minute video on “Scotland's constitutional journey”.

All your greatest hits: Cromwell, Darien, 1707, Keir Hardie backing Home Rule (take that, Labour), the Scottish Parliament reconvening in 1999, Donald Dewar, the Queen in a nice hat etc.

Then on to lots of clips of Salmond and various abortive referendum milestones from the last parliament on to the present day.

Now Sturgeon takes over to talk of Scotland “retaking her place” among the family of nations.

3.47pm

A quick update. The www.scotreferendum.com website is now online.

We're also being tutored in how to behave at the press conference...

3.45pm

We're all still waiting for the FM to show. He's usually late, but for his own referendum? That takes doing.

So we've been checking out the new website advertised on Salmond's empty lectern. Alas www.scotreferendum.com isn't online yet. Not a good start.

A little digging shows the name was registered by the Scottish Government only a week ago, on January 19.

Seems a little late in the day.

Their claim to the name is also due to expire in January 2014, a good six months before the ballot.

More shoddy housekeeping.

3.34pm

We're expecting business manager Bruce Crawford to appear first from behind an arras.

He'll then introduce a short (we hope) video, followed by Nicola Sturgeon doing the warm-up for Salmond.

This is basically the format for SNP conference. It usually works a treat, but we can also hear the wind picking up ominously outside.

3.20pm

Salmond yet to leave the Scottish Parliament, we hear.

The press gossip now is about the role of the Electoral Commission, which appears to be limited to checking on donations.

It had been expected to give a thumbs up or down to the question, but this now seems not to be the case.

While the current question on whether Scotland should be independent is simple enough, the inclusion of a second question on Devo Something could complicate matters.

Some of the London titles scent shenanigans.

3.12pm

The cameras have taken over the gallery at the rear of the hall now, such is the interest.

The BBC crew is fretting over sightlines, but otherwise there's a hush starting to settle as we await Salmond's return.

Reading into the detail of the consultation, it seems that the SNP government won't actually produce a white paper on the detailed mechanics of independence until November 2013, giving voters less than a year to mull over the implications.

Could it be that, like the Unionist parties who never expected a referendum to happen, the SNP has also been caught on the hop by its majority win and doesn't have any detailed plans?

2.58pm

We're now in the Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle, where I count at least a dozen TV cameras lined up against the claymores and pikestaffs on the walls.

There's also an empty suit of armour the First Minister might want to consider using for the brickbats at the press conference. Would need letting out a bit though.

We're also hearing the referendum will cost around £10m. With 10 words in the published question, that's £1m a word.

Expect that statistic in a lot of headlines tomorrow.

2.30pm

Margo MacDonald congratulates Salmond on his speech (good job he's sitting down).

Then in goes the boot. "Will he have nothing to do with a second question that he can't deliver the answer to?"

Salmond welcomes 90% of her question. 

Now it's time to join my fellow hacks in the Royal Mile Club as we tramp up the hill to the Castle for the international version of the launch.

The blogging will continue from there.

2.23pm

After more under-arm questioning from his backbenchers, Salmond demonstrates "sic a sournfu view" of the Coalition attaching strings to a Section 30 order.

Tsk, tsk, he sighs world-wearily.

Then Green MSP Patrick Harvie asks him to guarantee that there will be no deal struck to maintain Trident at Faslane.

Given there's nowhere else in the UK for the subs and warheads to go, there's much speculation that an independent Scotland might use Trident as a bargaining chip with Westminster and possibly extract a hefty rent for the base.

It is "inconceivable" that the people would countenance that, says Salmond, not exactly answering the question.

2.16pm

The press gallery is buzzing about paragraph 4.5 of the consultation, which says a yes vote would mean the next election would be in an independent Scotland.

Assuming a vote was for independence, then "May 2016 will see the election of the next Scottish Parliament which would become the parliament of an independent Scotland.

"This election will give the people of Scotland the chance to decide the future policy direction of Scotland."

So no hanging about for years of negotiations. If the people back independence, then the next parliament will negotiate as it goes.

2.10pm

We're on to the backbenchers now, with a couple of dismal patsy questions from SNP MSPs on Trident and Scotland being "good neighbours" to the UK.

Groans from the opposition.

Labour's Patricia Ferguson puts in a more pointed query about the mechanism for an independent Scotland joining the EU.

Salmond insists an independent Scotland would be welcomed in Brussels.

The Belgian chocolate-makers would no doubt welcome Salmond too.

2.05pm

LibDem leader Willie Rennie says the day will bring much pomp but few facts.

It's more like Shakespeare than Burns, he says: "Much Ado About Nothing."

Don't swap the day job for the stand-up circuit, Willie.

2pm

Tory leader Ruth Davidson says the people want a "fair, legal and decisive referendum as soon as possible", spookily like Coalition ministers. 

But she welcomes the single independence question Salmond has set out in the consultation.

She also wants the Scottish Government to co-operate with the UK government on the more substantive issues and on the offer of a Section 30 order to ensure the referendum is immune to legal challenge.

Salmond takes a pop at the Tories from going from a pre-election position of opposing a referendum, to tying strings to the Section 30 order.

1.57pm

Replying to Lamont, Salmond says that famously nebulous beast, civic Scotland, is interested in Devo Max.

A very useful concept, that, as civic Scotland can never deny that.

1.54pm

Opening her reply, Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont reminds Salmond that whenever she delivers a reply for the lassies on Burns night, she likes to quote Burns on "the pomposities and vanities of men".

Whoever could she mean?

There's also a dig over Devo Max, asking why that particular alternative to independence is always the one being floated by the SNP.

Could it be because Devo Max is just a haggis length off independence?

After slagging Salmond off, she then repeats her offer of having him to cross-party talks.

1.52pm

Citing the increase in new nations over the last century, the FM says Scotland's journey is clearly part of a bigger international picture.

Independence is the natural state, not being independent the unusual one.

"I know we are just as good as any other country," he says, winding up.

"Our success should be in our own hands," he concludes to applause from his backbenches.

There will now be around 45 minutes of questions.

1.48pm

Salmond urges the other parties to engage with the consultation in the spirit of consensus. I suppose he has to be seen to make an effort, but he won't be getting his hopes up.

The case for more economic powers is unarguable, the First Minister says. "The people of Scotland should be in charge."

Scotland can be a wealthier, fairer nation taking reponsibility for its own future, he says.

1.45pm

Now it's the inevitable turn of Robert Burns to get yoked in to the argument. "Burns the democrat", as Salmond dubs him, quoting A Man's A Man.

1.42pm

Salmond says the consultation will seek views on the role of the UK Electoral Commission and the Scottish Electoral Management Board.

Despite Scottish Government sources privately acknowledging they won't die in a ditch to extend the franchise, Salmond says the paper will argue for lowering the voting age to 16.

"It's only fair and democratic" that devo max should be included on the ballot if that's what people want, he says.

Michael Moore's chickenpox must be flashing like traffic lights at that.

1.35pm

Now we're off for real. Alex Salmond rises to surprisingly little background jabber to announce the publication of "Your Scotland, Your Referendum"

The process must be "beyond reproach", he says.

The question will be "Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?"

1.30pm

As the press gallery swells in anticipation of the Great Chieftain’s historic announcement on a referendum for independence, journalists catch up on the day’s events so far.

In the morning, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon attended the Scottish Storytelling Centre, an irresistible venue for MSPs, for a performance of Tam O’Shanter.

Michael  Moore, the LibDem Scottish Secretary, came down with chickenpox, or possibly a severe allergic reaction to devo max.  Either way, he’s out of the game for today. His place on tonight’s Newsnight debate will be taken by Advocate General  Lord Wallace.

Now the Presiding Officer arrives: it's not Mr Salmond just yet, but Time for Reflection with a minister - spiritual not political - giving us his thoughts on Burns Night. And that's it from the Reverend Dr Stewart Gillan, Minister of St Michael’s Parish Church, Linlithgow.