Berwick residents vote for move to Scotland

Published on Saturday 16 February 2008 22:58

BERWICK-upon-Tweed has voted in favour of becoming part of Scotland, with many saying they wanted to take advantage of better public services north of the border.

Residents of the English town, which has changed hands between England and Scotland numerous times over the centuries, said they wanted to be part of Scotland by a margin of 60% to 40%, according to a TV company which organised the poll.

The referendum for ITV1's Tonight programme had 1,182 voters in favour of becoming part of Scotland and 775 in favour of staying in England.

The programme, to be screened tomorrow, said the poll reflected concerns about better services including free personal care for the elderly, better access to new medicines, the absence of upfront university tuition fees and the promise of free school meals for young children in primary schools.

The findings follow a similar poll on The Berwick Advertiser newspaper website in which 78% said they would like to see the town return north of the border.

In a chequered history the frontier town changed hands more than 13 times between 1147 and 1482.

Organisers of the TV programme said the poll turnout of 1,957 votes compared with some 3,800 in the last local elections.

Former policeman Michael Ross, from Berwick, who headed the pro-Scotland campaign for votes, said: "Berwick is a very special place and I think it is largely forgotten within England.

"I believe we would be the jewel in the crown of Scotland. I believe our economy would be better understood and better looked after by the Edinburgh Government than it is by Westminster."

Former school teacher Barbara Herdman campaigned in the town for a pro-English vote and for a change in how public spending is allocated across the UK.

"I think that Berwick should stay part of England because it's so unfair what is happening at the moment," she said.

"The Scots are getting more money than we are. I'm not saying that the Scots should not get what they get, but that we should get the same."

Christine Grahame, Scottish National Party MSP for the South of Scotland region, claimed townsfolk were preparing to formally petition the Scottish Parliament to enable the town to secede from England.

She said: "I think feelings in Berwick-upon-Tweed are strongly in favour of returning the town to Scotland and we will welcome them with open arms when that day comes."