Turnout is key

Eddie Barnes (Inside Politics, 13 February) makes an important point about the referendum campaign differential turnout. The people in favour of independence are much more committed and likely to vote than the opponents, who are often afraid of change but more likely to stay at home.

This is backed up by the latest Ipsos Mori poll figures, which show a doubling of support for independence among young people to 58 per cent. The Yes campaign has captured the imagination of young people.

I also recall the referendum on the Common Market in 1975; at the beginning of the campaign one third were in favour of staying in and two thirds against. By the end of the campaign the position was reversed.

The polls show a lead for the No campaign currently; however, they also show that the people behind the Yes campaign, ie Nicola Sturgeon and Alex
Salmond, are much more 
popular than the No people.

What is more, the No campaign is composed of Labour, Tories and Liberals, ie a coalition government which is becoming increasingly unpopular as it imposes ever more draconian cuts on the people of Scotland.

There are 18 months to go and if I were Alastair Darling I would be very, very worried!

Hugh Kerr

Braehead Avenue

Edinburgh

It is interesting that House of Commons authorities have ruled that the word “separation” was not permitted in the House of Commons, and Labour has now boycotted its own debate on the issue of Scottish independence (your report, 13 February).

However, if this language is not allowed in the House of Commons, it should not be 
allowed in official reports, including about ten reports issued by the Scottish affairs select committee.

This has obviously cost a lot of time and money.

Maybe it’s time to surcharge all those involved in abusing parliamentary funds.

Kenny MacLaren

Avondale Drive

Paisley

On Monday Tory MP David Mundell claimed that Scotland was “extinguished” by the UK Government in 1707.

That created an enlarged and renamed England, making Scotland a north of England “parish”.

Only last week, David Cameron told the Scottish people that we were an equal nation and safer and fairer together. How condescending.

The No campaign is asking Scots to support them with the ideology that Scotland does not exist since it was extinguished.

Here I am at the age of 71 being told that I live in an occupied country. I only wish my uncles who gave their lives in two World Wars fighting for their country were aware of this “sleekit” situation.

Maybe the unionists will now stop crowing and accusing the SNP of “breaking up the UK” and rephrase it more accurately to “wanting to break up England”.

Donald J Morrison

Haig Street

Portknockie, Buckie