SCOTLAND’S INDEPENDENCE VOTE IS A FLIPPING CLOSE CALL

JUDGING by the coverage by the BBC, and the majority of the TV and print media, of the news that most Scots would vote for independence, you might be forgiven for thinking that the margin was huge, but in fact it was only 52 per cent to 48 per cent. So if only 2.5 per cent of Scots change their minds, it will fail again.

Considering how wildly inaccurate polling was in predicting the 2017 and 2019 elections, and especially the Brexit referendum when Leave was never in the lead, it was irresponsible of so much of the ultra-Remainer media to rub its hands with such glee over this Scottish poll, with the clear implication that the break-up of the UK will be the Brexiteers’ fault.We know what they think of a 52 per cent to 48 per cent result anyhow, as they fought for four years to overturn precisely that margin in the Euro referendum.

When Scots soberly consider how successful our Union has been for them for over 300 years, this tiny poll lead – well within the margin of error – can easily be flipped. As for Gordon Brown responding to this week’s Scottish poll by advocating “citizens’ assemblies”, and others wanting a fully federal Britain with yet more parliaments within the UK, if the answer is “more politicians” then we are clearly asking the wrong question.

Frederick Forsyth is away