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Scotland campaign leaders launch final push ahead of vote

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum are mounting a final push for votes as a poll...
Newstalk
Newstalk

08.42 8 Sep 2014


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Scotland campaign leaders laun...

Scotland campaign leaders launch final push ahead of vote

Newstalk
Newstalk

08.42 8 Sep 2014


Share this article


Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum are mounting a final push for votes as a poll suggests the Yes campaign has taken the lead 10 days before the poll.

British Prime Minister David Cameron will attempt to win over Scottish voters by promising more autonomy if Scotland votes against independence.

UK Labour leader Ed Miliband is expected to join his predecessor Gordon Brown to also pledge extra powers will be devolved after a No vote.

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The last-ditch bids to save the Union by both party leaders comes as a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times suggested the Yes campaign is now in the lead for the first time, with 51% in favour of independence compared to 49% against.

Another survey, by Panelbase, put the No campaign still ahead by two points at 52%. Last month, Alex Salmond's campaign was behind by 22 points.

Reporter James Matthews said the YouGov poll had "woken No campaigners out of their slumber" and "poked the silent majority in the ribs, if indeed a silent majority exists in support for the No campaign".

He said: "It's all about not just who you trust, but what you trust, and the No campaign clearly think if they can provide Scots with hard evidence of what is on the way in terms of greater powers then they will score with that."

British Chancellor George Osborne has promised a "plan of action to give more powers to Scotland" will be revealed this week, including details of a timetable and process of further devolution from Westminster.

Uncertainty over the currency that an independent Scotland would use, and the shape and role of its monetary system have had an impact on the markets.

Companies with major interests in Scotland saw their shares fall on London's FTSE 100 index on opening this morning.

The Royal Bank of Scotland was down more than 3%, Lloyds Banking Group down 2.5% and Edinburgh-based insurer Standard Life down more than 2%.

Former NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson, who is campaigning with former Scottish secretary Jim Murphy, said Scottish independence would have a "cataclysmic" impact.

But Scottish First Minister Mr Salmond dismissed the devolution pledge as a "bribe".

He told the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland: "Are we expected to believe, after hundreds of thousands have already voted, that there's a radical new deal? This is a panicky measure made because the Yes side is winning on the ground."

His deputy in the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon, will be joined by Plaid Cymru Welsh nationalist leader Leanne Wood on the campaign trail this week.

Referendum expert and author Richard Qvortrup told Newstalk Breakfast he believes the result is too close to call, with fresh momentum in the 'No' campaign.


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