Declaration of Arbroath, 2014
Historic abbey is venue for key speech
ALEX Salmond will evoke Scotland’s ancient battles against the English tomorrow as he delivers a key pro-independence speech at one of the country’s most historic sites.
The SNP leader will ramp up the battleground rhetoric and symbolism as he visits Arbroath Abbey in Angus, where the Declaration of Arbroath was signed six years after Robert the Bruce’s victory over the English at Bannockburn.
Although the Yes campaign has so far steered clear of using ‘Braveheart rhetoric’, Mr Salmond will refer to the Declaration – which contains a line saying Scotland should never again be brought under ‘English rule’ – by saying Scots have a ‘precious’ chance to ‘take power out of the hands of the Westminster
‘We have the chance to take power’
elite and into the hands of the people of Scotland’.
It is a clear attempt to try to win the emotional case for votes, after Mr Salmond’s campaign nosedived in the polls following his defeat to Alistair Darling in the first head-tohead TV debate on independence earlier this month.
But opponents say that he is just trying to hide from the risks and uncertainties of independence.
A series of new pledges to be announced by Mr Salmond tomorrow will be branded as his ‘Declaration of Opportunity’.
The original Declaration of Arbroath, written in 1320, refers to how Scotland should never again come under English rule, before stating: ‘It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.’
In his Arbroath speech Mr Salmond will say: ‘A Yes vote on September 18 is the opportunity of a lifetime to build a more prosperous and fairer Scotland.
‘Those of us lucky enough to cast our votes on that day are truly a privileged generation: perhaps the most privileged in this nation’s history. The opportunity we have isn’t unique, but it is very precious. We have the chance to take power out of the hands of the Westminster elite and into the hands of the people of Scotland.’
His use of Scottish historical symbolism is the latest sign that he has moved away from earlier attempts to downplay references to ‘Braveheart’ and ‘freedom’. In 2012, it emerged that the SNP wanted to avoid using ‘Braveheart language’ in its campaign for independence in a bid to seem more ‘positive’. The use of ‘freedom’ was ditched, replaced words such as ‘transformational’, ‘exciting’ and ‘historic’.
The same year, Mr Salmond’s aide, Joan McAlpine, said: ‘Language is key. We will not normalise independence with Braveheart rhetoric.’
But that has started to change as the referendum draws closer, with Mr Salmond opening his party’s last conference before the vote by saying: ‘We’re not an ordinary political party, because we are always and always have been part of a movement – and that movement, that aim, that ambition, is the freedom and independence of our country.’
Mr Salmond said in a recent interview that stories about William Wal- lace and Robert the Bruce were the inspiration behind his lifelong pursuit of independence, and labelled them as ‘the two greatest heroes in our history’.
But Alistair Darling, chairman of the Better Together campaign, was unimpressed by the SNP’s attempt to use historical figures and events to win votes.
He said: ‘Time and time again they have told us that the great landmark dates we’ve had would change Scot-
‘Patriotic choice to say No Thanks’
tish opinion. Remember the anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, then the Commonwealth Games and the anticipation of the Ryder Cup, but nothing has happened – apart from the gap is widening.’
Mr Darling added: ‘It is a patriotic choice to say No Thanks to the risks of independence.
‘And there are times when, for the love of your family and for the love of your country, it is better to say No – not because you can’t say Yes, but because it is simply not the best thing to do and makes no sense.’