ALISTAIR
DARLING won a shock victory
in the first referendum TV debate
last night as Alex Salmond came unstuck on
the pound. The Better Together leader, an underdog before the start, hammered
the First Minister relentlessly on the future of Scotland’s currency.
And when
it was all over, 56 per cent of viewers surveyed in a snap ICM exit poll named
Darling as the winner.The former Labour Chancellor had been widely expected to
fall victim to Salmond’s feared debating skills.
But he
put his SNP rival on the
rack with strong attacks over whether Scotland would keep the pound
after a Yes
vote.The bruising encounter early in the two-hour battle seemed to unsettle the
First Minister, who went into the debate behind in the polls and knowing he
needed a convincing victory.
Salmond
rallied later to score strong points over Con-Dem welfare cuts, Trident and the
Bedroom Tax.Darling also looked uncomfortable as the First Minister repeatedly
challenged him to admit Scotland could be a “successful independent country”.
But the future of the pound – seen by many as
the key issue in the race to September 18 – was Salmond’s downfall.
Read
more here:
Further Reading here:
Yes Scotland ridiculed after issuing a guide telling supporters what to say on social media during TV debate
“The
Scottish Government’s own figures show a separate Scotland’s finances would be
in a weaker position than the UK’s 2016/17 thanks to declining North Sea oil
revenues. But the guide told supporters in bold type that “we will be in a
stronger financial position in the first years of independence than we are
today.”
Alex
Salmond accused of a 'huge deception' over his plans for a currency union after
a Yes vote
"Alex
Salmond claims that nothing much will change, that threats otherwise are a
bluff and that Scotland would keep the pound sterling - but although Scotland
could keep using the pound, to promise 'no change' is a huge deception: the
consequences would be enormous."
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