Scottish independence???

[Catkin]

Ew, that last one...

[Icel]

Ew, that last one...

A few of them are absolutely awful. To be honest, nothing can replace the Union Jack satisfactorily.

[Graham]

The Union Jack pre-dates the Union. It's a Royal flag. Scotland lost it's Independence in 1707. The flag was created in 1606. Independence is reverting back the time between those, because of a retained Monarch.

Doesn't have to be changed.

[Graham]

SCOTSMAN NEWS 14 JUNE


BBC Scotland was last night embroiled in a major row over its impartiality amid concerns it flouted its own editorial and commercial guidelines by allowing a Better Together cinema advertisement to be filmed at its headquarters using the corporation’s in-house crew.

The Scotsman can reveal that the advert – shown on screens nationwide as part of the pro-Union group’s campaign ahead of the independence referendum – was produced at a studio in the BBC’s Pacific Quay base in Glasgow normally used for quiz shows.

The filming, described by Better Together as a “commercial arrangement” between a sub-contracted production company and the BBC, appears to fall foul of a number of the broadcaster’s internal guidelines.

The rules warn of damage to the corporation’s standing if it is seen to be associated with “inappropriate” third parties such as political parties and lobbying organisations.

Any commercial activity with such groups that could “potentially undermine the BBC’s editorial integrity” must be referred, in advance, to its editorial policy department, the guidelines add.

BBC Scotland last night insisted there has been “no breach” of its guidelines, stating that political parties are allowed to use the corporation’s facilities on a “commercial basis.” But veteran former BBC broadcaster Derek Bateman warned management at Pacific Quay were operating in a “grey zone” and said the public perception of the advert’s production would be that “the BBC is working hand in glove with Better Together”.

He said: “The BBC seem unable to define what’s appropriate behaviour and what isn’t.”

The Scotsman has learned that Rob Shorthouse, director of communications at Better Together, was among those present in the BBC Scotland studio when the minute-long advertisement was being made.

It was filmed at the beginning of April in Pacific Quay’s studio B, used to film popular BBC network programmes such as The Weakest Link and Eggheads. The high-profile advert featured testimonies from five young Better Together supporters.

Under the BBC’s fair trading guidelines – designed to ensure the corporation’s commercial activities do not impinge on its wider reputation and values – there are explicit procedures set out for dealing with politically affiliated bodies.

Guideline 4.64 warns that “the value and reputation of the BBC brand may be damaged if any part of the BBC is seen to be associated with inappropriate third parties”.

Guideline 4.65 adds: “Any activity involving a third party that could potentially undermine the BBC’s editorial integrity must be referred, in advance, to the editorial policy department. Examples of such organisations include: political parties, government departments and foreign governments; lobbying organisations…”

The process of creating the advert saw Better Together hire BD Network, a Glasgow-founded creative agency with offices in Shoreditch and Melbourne. BD Network then sub-contracted the job to Early, a production firm co-founded by Martyn Smith, a former executive producer at BBC Entertainment, who recruited participants and booked the Pacific Quay studio.

The corporation declined to reveal how much it received, citing commercial sensitivities, but it is understood the hire fees amounted to between £5,000 to £7,000.

The ad spot proved divisive when it was screened across scores of cinemas last month. Amid growing unease over similar adverts from Yes Scotland, major cinema chains including Odeon, Cineworld and Vue took a collective decision to ban all referendum advertising from their venues.

Mr Shorthouse told The Scotsman that Better Together became aware the BBC Scotland was being used for the advert “pretty early” in the project’s development, adding: “I decided that I wanted it made in Scotland, not London – so I knew pretty early on in the process that the only option was the studios at the BBC.”

Asked if Better Together had misgivings about using the state-funded broadcaster’s facilities for the advert, he said: “No. This was a commercial arrangement between a production company and the BBC.”

Mr Bateman, the former BBC Scotland broadcaster, said: “The BBC helps parties make party political broadcasts at election times which is legitimate, but in a case like this, as with the CBI row, they’re walking a pretty tightrope. Anybody reading about it in the heat of the referendum debate will think the BBC is working hand in glove with Better Together. What on earth do they think the public are going to think about it?”

SNP MP Pete Wishart said: “I really do hope that the BBC pay clear attention to its own particular guidelines when it comes to this kind of production and that they are able to justify absolutely that they have not breached any of their guidelines.

“I am aware that Pacific Quay, as part of value for money arrangements, makes itself available to outside organisations and they have to always be careful about how this kind of arrangement looks to the public.”

Blair Jenkins, chief executive of Yes Scotland and a former head of news and current affairs at BBC Scotland, said: “It is incumbent on all public service broadcasters – of which the BBC is one – to remain impartial in all matters relating to the referendum, the most important constitutional vote in Scotland in hundreds of years.”

Asked if the film was referred to and cleared by the BBC’s editorial policy department, a Pacific Quay spokesman said BBC Scotland “knew what the production was for and editorial policy were aware of it”.

He went on: “There has been no breach of editorial guidelines as BBC facilities are made available to organisations and businesses who want to use them, including political parties, on a commercial basis.

“During the 2012 local election campaign, the SNP produced a party election broadcast in our Dumbarton studios. Again, that was hired out in accordance with our fair trading policy and there was no editorial association with the BBC in the broadcast.”

A spokeswoman for the BBC Trust said: “We note BBC Scotland’s statement that there has been no breach of the BBC’s editorial guidelines and correct policy was followed. The trust has no plans to investigate this.”

[Loki]

A few of them are absolutely awful. To be honest, nothing can replace the Union Jack satisfactorily.

That's England's problem.

[Óttar]

Scottish independence yes campaign attacked by John Reid as race tightens
Former Labour minister accuses yes campaign of 'fantasies and wishful thinking' as polls show two sides almost neck and neck

The former Labour cabinet minister John Reid has accused the campaign for Scottish independence of putting forward "fantasies and wishful thinking" as two polls show the gap yes and no votes in September's referendum is tightening.

A Panelbase survey commissioned by Yes Scotland found 48% for yes and 52% for no once undecided voters were removed, suggesting the pro-independence movement needs only a two-point swing to secure success. Blair Jenkins, chief executive of Yes Scotland, welcomed the poll as "a breakthrough" and a "campaign high".

ICM polling for Scotland on Sunday, again excluding don't knows, resulted in 45% for yes, up 3 points on the previous month, with the no vote down 3 points at 55%. The poll found the rise in support for independence particularly marked amongst female voters, previously less likely to drawn to yes, with an increase of 5 percentage points since May.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, Reid said that, while the no campaign was not complacent, he believed that once voters focused on arguments around the advantages of being a member of the UK, such as financial stability, economic strength and social justice, in addition to the risks of separation over the currency, Europe, and the funding of pensions, "we will sensibly take a no vote on 18 September".

But Reid would not be drawn on the possibility of offering further devolution in order to convince Labour supporters to reject independence, despite reports last week that the three major Westminster parties are close to agreeing a joint statement committing them to give the Scottish parliament more significant tax and policy making powers if there is a no vote in September.

It has been reported that the no campaign had been warned by the Canadian liberal senator Dennis Dawson, who played a major role in the referendums on Quebecois separation, that it risked a backlash from voters if it continued to focus on the negative aspects of independence. Better Together revealed its new slogan "No thanks" last week, which is believed to have been inspired by Quebec's successful "Non merci" of 1995.

The narrowing gap in the polls comes at the end of a week when concerns have been raised again about the quality of the referendum debate, after the author JK Rowling received abuse online following her endorsement of the no campaign, and Better Together supporter Clare Lally was briefed against by one of Alex Salmond's special advisers.

Asking about the debate itself, the Scotland on Sunday poll found that 38% agreed with the statement that "whichever way the referendum goes, Scotland will be left badly divided", although 36% disagreed. More encouragingly, 65% believed that people were much more interested in the debate about independence than they are in what the parties have to say at election time. Some 56% said that they had had lots of conversations with friends and family about the referendum in recent weeks, while only 21% said that some of those conversations had ended in a row.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...aign-john-reid

[LightHouse89]

The only issue with Scottish Independence I have is that they do not have the resources to support themselves....they will end up like Ireland. Poor. I am shocked England however might be able to survive. I mean tourism is one resource...but oil, natural gas, coal etc.....I am not sure if Scotland has any of that. I mean if they do then maybe they could survive. Thats like here if some areas of the country broke away we could survive because of natural resources and tourism. I support the South breaking away it would be rich too, and also the North East which would be rich off of tourism, defense building [weapons etc..], sea food [thats a major resource here], and hopefully off shore drilling.

I dont see anything wrong with Scottish Independence or even if tommorrow Northern Ireland wanted to break away.....I dont think that will happen though.

[LightHouse89]

That's England's problem.

The flag of my area of the country is the same flag as England.... the flag of St. George with a tree in it hahahaha.

[LightHouse89]

United Kingdom doesn't mean anything. There could be a kingdom which is united anywhere in the world. Scotland on the other hand is only one.

True the Empire is long gone so might as well have independence....the UK should just be an eocnomic union in my opinion with maybe a shared defensive concept....meaning a joint military. Ireland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland just form a defence force.

[Catkin]

The only issue with Scottish Independence I have is that they do not have the resources to support themselves....they will end up like Ireland. Poor. I am shocked England however might be able to survive. I mean tourism is one resource...but oil, natural gas, coal etc.....I am not sure if Scotland has any of that. I mean if they do then maybe they could survive.

There's always going to be some economic risk, but the UK has North Sea oil which Scotland would take with independence. It won't last forever but it would start them off and keep them going until other forms of income could be established to replace it. They should be fine. TBH I wouldn't really want them to stay only because they can't afford to go anyway. Unwilling forced loyalty is not good. I actually think it would be a good thing for Wales to find oil too, then they could also have the choice. I'm totally and completely for the Union, but only with willing participants . They have to do what they want to do.