Yes answers Gazette reader’s Plan B currency question

And there were specific questions which could only be answered by either the Yes or No camps.

In this article, Robin McAlpine tackles the first question levelled at the Yes campaign.

Robin graduated from Glasgow University to work as a journalist, moving to London to become Press Officer to George Robertson, then Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland and leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

He then spent 12 years as head of public affairs for Scotland’s university sector.

Robin is currently director of the Jimmy Reid Foundation and Editor of the Scottish Left Review, Scotland’s leading left-of-centre political magazine.

In 2004 he set up the Scottish Left Review Press, a publishing arm of the Scottish Left Review.

Question: If Independence is such a wonderful idea, why are people not falling over in their rush to vote yes? What is SNP plan B for the currency?

Robin said: “Britain is a country in which the media is very biased. Only one newspaper supports independence and many of the rest have run a propaganda campaign designed to scare people.

“In fact, given just how much fear has been used it is amazing that Yes just keeps on closing the gap with No. I really believe that if we had a fair media and people knew the truth it would be a clear victory for Yes.

“I can’t comment on the SNP position but Scotland has a number of perfectly viable currency options. My personal opinion is that we should probably move to a Scottish currency pegged to the pound (a Scottish pound that we controlled but worth exactly the same as the UK pound). But the options also have attractions.

“I think we need a big, national debate about currency if there is a Yes vote – once the No side stop being silly and engage properly.”

Keep checking our website today for further answers from Robin and Professor Adam Tomkins from the No campaign throughout the day.