Scaremongerers are off-beam
The sight of the local No campaign holding their placards and battering on about the same old scaremongering topics shows just how off beam they and their campaign are. Their own campaign leader told them what currency an independent Scotland will use in his recent televised debate with Alex Salmond: the pound sterling. They might as well deposit their campaign materials which erroneously claim that this is impossible into a blue recycling bin.
As to pensions, the DWP has written to current pensioners who have raised the question, confirming that their pensions are guaranteed regardless of where the live and regardless of Scotland’s constitutional situation. Pensioners who have relocated to Spain still get their state pension. Better Together must think we are all daft or easily frightened. Indeed, their comments on pensions are based purely on a despicable effort to terrorise the elderly into voting No on the basis of false threats to their pensions. Future state pensions (for the likes of myself) will be paid as they are now: from tax receipts, as explained by Alistair Darling in the first TV debate with Alex Salmond. We have an ageing population and so does the rest of the UK. In an independent Scotland, we can try to retain our young people and those who come to study here as we build a better future for us all.
As to mortgages, can I refer the BT campaigners (especially Robert Brown) to Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie’s pathetic performance on Sunday Politics on the 31st August (it can be found on youtube) when Gordon Brewer tried to get him to explain why mortgages or loans would go up in an independent Scotland. It was laughable seeing him flounder around, giving zero reasoning to support the allegation. It’s one thing getting wee soundbites fed to you from Better Together headquarters but when you don’t have a clue what you are talking about, it shows.
On the subject of jobs, I recall Alex Salmond asking Alistair Darling during the Kelvingrove debate to name three job-creating powers that would go to the Scottish Parliament in the event of a No vote. Mr Darling’s response was as bad as Willie Rennie: a rabbit caught in the headlights! The only programme he referred to being of the “slave labour” variety where people are forced to work for buttons under threat of loss of benefit. The same or similar questions have been asked of Johann Lamont and Alistair Carmichael and they too have been left looking ridiculous.
The fact is that the vague promise of “extra powers” offered in the event of a No vote is hollow because it is not in the gift of Better Together, but the next Westminster government, so when asked questions on it, there is nothing that they can say.
Let me make a suggestion to readers who seek information on the questions surrounding the referendum. If you have internet access, Google “Wings over Scotland” and from there, download the Wee Blue Book: it provides the information that the mainstream media hide from us in their enthusiasm for supporting the No campaign. David Stevenson.