AYE OR NAE?INDEPENDENCE, THE REFERENDUM AND YOU

THE FACTS• On the 18th September, everyone in Scotland aged 16 and

over will have the right to vote in a referendum.

• A referendum is a process in which everyone votes for one of two options, and the option that gets the most votes will become law.

• This referendum will ask “should Scotland become an independent country?”

• If more than 50% of respondents vote yes, then Scotland will leave the United Kingdom and become an independent country.

THE TWO SIDES

OR…

Yes Scotland

Yes Scotland is the campaign calling for people to vote ‘Yes’ in the

referendum. It is supported by the Scottish Government, and by many

celebrities, including the Proclaimers and historian Tom Devine.

No Thanks

No Thanks (formerly called Better Together) is calling for people to vote ‘No’. It is supported by the UK

government and celebrities including JK

Rowling and historian Dan Snow

THE TWO SIDES• One of the major problems with Scottish

Independence is knowing who to trust.

• You are going to hear a lot of claims on both sides, and a lot of so-called ‘facts’ from both campaigns.

• The problem is that both sides are convinced that they are right, and that the other side is wrong!

• Truth is, nobody truly knows who is right, and there are good arguments for both options.

WHAT ISN’T TRUE• Some ‘Yes’ voters would have you believe that

without independence Scotland is doomed, and that with independence, Scotland will be a magical and wonderful place with joy and laughter for everyone.

• Some ‘No’ voters would have you believe that Scotland is perfect right now as part of the UK, and that if independence happens, we will all end up living in some sort of post-apocalyptic disaster area.

WHAT ISN’T TRUE• Some ‘No’ voters would have you believe that

anyone who votes Yes is an uneducated, Braveheart-obsessed, English-hating bigot, who wants independence to spite other people.

• Some ‘Yes’ voters would have you believe that anyone who votes No is an unpatriotic, Scotland-hating coward, afraid of change and unwilling to take responsibility for themselves.

THE REALITY• Most ‘Yes’ voters are pretty happy

with how the country is at the moment, but think it could be even better if Scotland was in control of everything that happens here, instead of letting the UK Parliament decide some things. For them, the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks.

• Most ‘No’ voters are happy with how the country is at the moment, and don’t see a good reason to mess with that. They may not agree with all the decisions that the UK Parliament makes, but they value the security that comes from being part of a bigger country. For them, the potential risks out weigh the potential benefits.

THE ISSUESThere are a number of issues that the two sides are arguing over, but they essentially come down to two main questions:

• Would Scotland lose out by becoming independent?

• Would Scotland be better off as an independent country?

WOULD SCOTLAND LOSE OUT BY BECOMING INDEPENDENT?

• The No campaign argues that Scotland would lose out by becoming independent.

• They have three key reasons for this:

1. Scotland would have to figure out what currency it was going to use, and this will be very complicated. UK ministers have said that they will not let Scotland use the pound.

2. Scotland would have to reapply to join the European Union, a group of countries in Europe that have trade links. Because the UK was one of the founding members, it gets a really good deal, and Scotland would be unlikely to do as well.

3. Scotland’s economy may not be strong enough for the country to survive on its own, without the help of the UK.

WOULD SCOTLAND LOSE OUT BY BECOMING INDEPENDENT?• The Yes campaign argues that Scotland would not lose out by becoming independent.

• They have three key reasons for this:

1. Scotland would continue to use the pound, in a currency-sharing agreement with the UK. The Scottish Government argues that the pound is as much Scotland’s as it is England’s, and that the UK has not right to ban Scotland from using it.

2. Scotland may have to reapply to the EU, but the UK may not be in the EU for much longer, as the anti-EU UKIP party did very well in the European elections last year, and there will be a referendum on the UK leaving the EU in 2016.

3. Scotland’s economy is strong enough to survive, based on the oil and renewable energy industries.

WOULD SCOTLAND BE BETTER OFF INDEPENDENT?• The Yes campaign argues that Scotland would be better off as an independent country.

• They have three key reasons for this:

1. The Scottish Parliament would control everything in Scotland, rather than the UK Parliament making decisions that are often opposed by everyone in Scotland.

2. Plenty of small countries in similar situations are very successful – Finland and Norway for instance. We don’t need the UK.

3.Scotland and the UK are going in different directions – Scotland is becoming more collectivist – providing more benefits and services to people, while the UK is becoming more individualist – cutting taxes and benefits to encourage people to better themselves. It’s time to go our separate ways.

WOULD SCOTLAND BE BETTER OFF INDEPENDENT?

• The No campaign argues that Scotland would be worse off as an independent country.

• They have three key reasons for this:

1. An independent Scotland would not have the backing of the richer UK, and so if everything went wrong, they might not have enough money to fix it.

2. Scotland’s oil won’t last forever, and many businesses have said that they would leave Scotland if it became independent.

3.Many people in Scotland approve of the way the UK is going at the moment. Even if you don’t, isn’t it better to stay and be part of the solution, rather than cutting and running?

IN THE END…

• Both campaigns are focusing on the short term.

• They will promise you that you’ll be £1000 better off without independence, or £1400 better off with it.

• They’ll promise the world will come crashing down on September 19th if they don’t get their way.

• But that’s not what you should be thinking about.

IN THE END…

• Whichever way Scotland decides on the 18th September, it will be the most important decision made in Scotland in a very, very long time, and its impact will last for generations.

• You need to consider not what you want the world to be like on the 19th September 2014, but what it will look like in 2024, and 2074 – what the world will be like for you as an old person, for your children and their children.

• Do you want to live in a Scotland that stands proudly as an independent country, looking after itself, taking its place in the world; or do you want to live in a Scotland that stands proudly as part of a truly United Kingdom, whose members support one another?

THE CHOICE IS IN YOUR HANDS…

OR…

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH IT?

REGISTERING TO VOTE• In order to vote, you must be registered. If you are not registered, you

cannot vote.

• In order to register, you must fill in the form you were handed today and post it to the address on the right BY THE 2nd SEPTEMBER.

• Basically, this means it needs to be in the post by Thursday or Friday.

• If you’re not sure if you’re registered, send in the form anyway.

• If you’re not sure if you’re going to vote, send in the form anyway.

• In order to take your place in history, you must be registered to vote BY THE 2nd OF SEPTEMBER.

17a South Gyle CrescentEdinburghEH12 9EB

VOTING ON THE DAY• If you are not going to be there on the day, you can register to vote:

• By post

• By proxy (someone else casts your vote for you)

• Just include this information on the form when you send it in.

• On the day, you will need to go to your polling station. You will receive a card with the address on it, but you can also look it up by googling ‘Polling Places Edinburgh’ or calling 0131 344 2500.

• At the polling station, someone will greet you, and ask you your name. You do not need to bring your polling card in order to vote.

• They will cross you off their list and hand you a ballot paper.

• In secret, mark the card with your preferred option, and place it in the box provided.

ANY QUESTIONS?

I’m happy to answer any questions, but remember:

• There are some things that I don’t know the answer to.

• There are some things that no-one knows the answer to.

•My priority is questions about how to get you registered to vote.

• I am not allowed to tell you which way I will be voting, so don’t bother asking!