Scottish independence: Darling slams Yes ‘bullying’

Alistair Darling. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

But nationalists said the “invigorating” debate in Scotland is the envy of the world and that any unpleasantness was down to “idiots” on both sides.

The former chancellor said yesterday he personally has found himself “shouted down” on the campaign trail, adding that most Scots are against such behaviour.

Mr Darling said: “I have been involved in political campaigning for about 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like this before.

“Normally people can stand on street stalls and different parties will smile at each other and get on and talk to the electorate. This isn’t happening. I was somewhere yesterday, where I was being shouted down for being there.

“And look at what’s going on in the internet. I think the majority of people, they don’t want this.”

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He added: “I think the majority of people – the quiet majority who are starting to speak out – are not prepared to be bullied into thinking there’s only one side here. Both of us should be entitled to set out our views with passion and with vigour.”

Both sides have complained about unacceptable behaviour from opponents, particularly on social media.

Former Scottish secretary Jim Murphy even suspended his 100 day tour of towns around the country following claims he was being silenced by an “orchestrated and sinister” campaign that saw Yes campaigners turn up at his events to shout him down. One man was convicted after hitting the Labour MP with an egg.

But the Yes camp has also pointed out that First Minister Alex Salmond has been the victim of a road-rage incident in which someone pursued him in a car with a No campaign sign, and a Twitter threat to “assassinate” him. Mr Salmond said there are “idiots on both sides” and dismissed them as a “microcosm”.

He added that 99.9 per cent of campaigners on each side have been engaging in “the most invigorating, empowering, enjoyable debate not just in Scottish democratic history, but I’ve seen nothing like this in Europe certainly in recent generations.”

Hollywood actor Brian Cox, one of the most high profile supports of independence, said the campaign in Scotland has been a global example of how to conduct such debates.

He said: “It’s an extraordinary time, the most extraordinary time of my lifetime, I never thought I’d live to see it.

“I’m so proud of the people of my country – Yes and No. I’m so proud that they can conduct a civilised debate as they have done and I think that in the end we will come together.

“In some families, fathers have gone Yes and mothers have gone No. It’s a balancing act and that’s the great thing.”

He added: “I think Scotland should be very proud of itself. I think on Friday whatever happens we can wake up rather proud because we’ve been an example to the rest of the world.”

However former Labour cabinet minister John Reid yesterday accused Mr Salmond of trying to scare sick and vulnerable Scots into voting Yes by claiming that Scotland’s NHS will be privatised after a No vote.

Lord Reid, who was the last Scot to be in charge of the NHS in England as Tony Blair’s UK Health Secretary, dismissed warnings from the SNP about the risk of NHS privatisation as the “most cynical, disgusting campaign’ in decades.

“The NHS cannot be privatised unless the Scottish Parliament decides to privatise it,” he said. “He [Alex Salmond] ought to be ashamed that he’s introduced this as a tactical ploy.”

But SNP MSP Aileen MacLeod said: “The risk to the NHS from a No vote is one of the reasons why more and more people in Scotland are switching from No to Yes – including the former Chief Medical Officer Sir Harry Burns.”

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