Referendum propaganda war declared

Monday 25 June 2012

THE propaganda war about the future of Scotland escalates today as the anti-independence, pro-UK campaign formally gets off the ground in Edinburgh.

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Michael Settle and Robbie Dinwoodie

Against a backdrop of pro-independence, anti-UK forces firing warning shots from the sidelines, Alistair Darling, head of the Better Together campaign, will say posing the independence question is "like asking us to buy a one-way ticket to send our children to a deeply uncertain destination".

Just as anti-independence forces tried to cast a cloud over the launch of Yes Scotland with a poll – which conveniently supported their argument – so today the pro-independence forces try to spoil the launch of Better Together with a poll – which, not unsurprisingly, supports their argument.This morning, commuters across Scotland will have leaflets thrust in their hands and newspaper readers are faced with full-page adverts telling them how great it is to be part of the UK and that they can have the "best of both worlds" by saying yes to the Union – a strong, distinctive Holyrood in a strong, distinctive UK.By sheer coincidence, the SNP's Stewart Hosie yesterday sought to claim the same slogan for the Nationalists when he said Scots could have "the best of both worlds", which, in his terms, was an independent Scotland with a strong social union with the English, keeping, of course, the Queen as head of state and sterling as the currency.There are also seemed to be another coincidence when Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, popped up on television to announce that UK aid from now on would bear the Union flag with the tag "From the British People", while the Ministry of Defence insisted there would be a round of flag-waving for the UK Armed Forces this week to mark Armed Forces Day. Could these be subliminal messages aimed at Scottish voters?Of course, the issue on which Messrs Moore and Salmond have yet to engage fully – should there be one or two questions on the referendum ballot paper – continues to make its presence known. A poll commissioned by the Future of Scotland group, which wants to see a less polarised debate, showed a 56% to 44% majority in favour of a second question with supporters of all the main parties, barring the Tories, supportive.Whitehall sources have made it clear to The Herald that David Cameron will vote SNP before he allows a second question. Indeed, the offer that will be made to the First Minister when talks finally get under way is that a Section 30 Order enabling Holyrood to hold a legal poll will be forthcoming but on one condition – there is a single question.The Prime Minister fears two questions will be legally challenged. Senior Coalition sources have even suggested he is willing for Westminster to hold a poll if that is the only way Scots can have a fair and legal vote.In his Herald interview, Mr Darling predicted Nationalist forces would begin to push harder for a second question, fearing defeat if there was only one.By sheer coincidence – again – Mr Hosie said yesterday: "The case for independence trumps any case for further devolution but there are those who believe in further devolution and, of course, they should be allowed to test that against independence and the status quo."

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Referendum propaganda war declared

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