The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)

Chance to quiz the politician­s

- By Kieran Andrews

VA RIOUS DEBA TES have played out in the pages of this newspaper about the pros and cons of Scottish independen­ce — and nowThe Courier is giving you the chance to quiz those at the top ahead of September’s referendum.

Stopping off acrossTays­ide and Fife, four big debates will be taking place with senior campaigner­s on both sides of the fence and impartial experts offering their views on the issues that matter.

We start at the GardyneThe­atre in Dundee next Thursday, June 5, where Stewart Hosie MP will go head-to-head withWillie Rennie MSP.

Mr Hosie is the SNP’s Treasury spokesman and sits for Dundee East at Westminste­r, while Mr Rennie is the leader of the Liberal Democrats in ScoScotlan­dotland and represents Midd Scotland and Fife at Holyrood. They will be jooined by Markk Diffley,

research director at renowned polling company Ipsos Mori. He leads the company’s tracking research, measuring changing attitudes among Scots to public services as well as the political and economic landscape, so is well placed to give a reasoned view of campaignin­g developmen­ts.

The event starts at 7pm and will last until 8.30pm. It will be chaired by myself, Kieran A ndrews, in a Question Time-style format with audience members able to submit questions in advance to be asked on the night.

From the economy to democracy, defence and internatio­nal relations, there has been no shortage of talking points about which way to vote when asked: “Should Scotland be an independen­t country?”

A dded to that, the recent European election results present another factor that will undoubtedl­y feed into the debdebate.bate.t C o nve r s a t i o n s about Scotland’sS i ndeppenden­ce referendum are starting to dominated the coffee shops, workplaces and pubs, so why not take the opportunit­y to listen to and question those at the heart of the debate?

This, alongside our other three debates, will bring the opportunit­y to learn more about the issues underpinni­ng the referendum right to your doorstep. It is another chance to prove that, even within a national question, local matters.

To reserve a place visit completeas­urvey. co.uk/courierdeb­ate or call 01382 575293. No physical tickets will be issued.

Our second debate will be in A rbroath, where Conservati­ve MSP A lex Johnstone will take on Yes Farmers’ Jim Fairlie, with the renowned Professor John Curtice providing the expertise. Following that, Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins, Mid Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Liz Smith and referendum expert Matt Qvortrup will be in Perth. The eveevents round off with Professor Curtice being jjoined by Labour MPThomas Docherty andYes Scotland chairman Dennis C a n ava n in

Dunfermlin­e.

 ??  ?? From left: Stewart HHosie, Willie RRennie and MMark Diffley.
From left: Stewart HHosie, Willie RRennie and MMark Diffley.
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