Diaspora should have a vote, says Campbell

ALASTAIR Campbell, the former director of communications for Tony Blair, has said parts of the Scottish diaspora should be allowed to vote in the independence referendum.

The former spin doctor, who resigned as the prime minister’s spokesman after the Hutton Inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly in 2003, said in an interview with The Scotsman that Scots who live in England, such as his mother and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, should be allowed to vote on the future of their nation.

He said: “Given how important the diaspora is to Scotland and its sense of its own nationhood, I think we sold the pass a bit early on the fact that only the people who live there can vote.

“Is my mum less Scottish than Alex Salmond? Is Alex Ferguson less Scottish than Alex Salmond? I don’t think so.

“There will be people who can vote in the referendum whom I would argue are less Scottish than my mum, who doesn’t have a vote and who feels that without any say in it whatsoever her country is possibly going to change funda- mentally.”

Mr Campbell, who is a skilled bagpipe player, said he considers himself British first then Scottish, but not English.

In the interview, he says that First Minister Alex Salmond is overestimated: “He’s not that great.” He believes Alistair Darling is the right man to lead the charge against him, adding: “He is credible and he is clever, but I think it is going to be a big argument and debate.”