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Sun reveals Salmond's preferred referendum date as 18 October 2014 Sun reveals Salmond's preferred referendum date as 18 October 2014
(about 4 hours later)
Alex Salmond's preferred date for the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 has emerged as Saturday 18 October in an exclusive story given to Rupert Murdoch's new Sunday tabloid. Alex Salmond's preferred date for the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 has emerged as Saturday 18 October, provoking an angry reaction from his opponents who want the vote held sooner.
That date, which has been the focus of intense speculation since Salmond said the poll would be staged in the autumn of 2014, was the main front-page story in Scottish editions of the Sun on Sunday, which also had a two-page feature inside. The precise date has been the focus of intense speculation since Salmond said the poll would be staged sometime in the autumn of 2014, and was disclosed in the first Scottish edition of Rupert Murdoch's first Sun published on a Sunday. That the apparently favoured date emerged on the pages of the paper was also heavily criticised by senior political figures in Scotland.
The paper quoted an unnamed Scottish government source and also carried a short article by the first minister praising the paper's arrival on newsstands as good for democracy and saying that 18 October 2014 was being "lined up" as the referendum date. The paper quoted an unnamed Scottish government source saying that 18 October 2014 was being "lined up" as the referendum date, leading to angry questions from opposition parties about why the Scottish parliament had not been told first.
The official said it would be "the day when people will get the chance to vote for independence and equality for Scotland. The referendum will be an historic day for all Scots". Editions across the rest of the UK ran a shorter version of the story on page 2. The Sun's source said it would be "the day when people will get the chance to vote for independence and equality for Scotland. The referendum will be an historic day for all Scots".
The disclosure provoked fresh criticism of Salmond's increasingly friendly links with Murdoch, who strongly hinted on Twitter recently that he favoured independence for Scotland and stated that the first minister was the UK's most effective politician. The front page story, described as a "world exclusive" about the "Day of Destiny", was followed by a short article by the first minister applauding Murdoch's decision to launch the paper.
In two tweets within days of each other, Murdoch said Salmond was "clearly the most brilliant politician in the UK" and: "Let Scotland go and compete. Everyone would win." Michael Moore, the UK government's Scotland secretary, and Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, said it was further evidence that Salmond was desperate to avoid holding the referendum next year because he knew he would lose if it were staged quickly.
The day after the second tweet, Salmond and Murdoch had a private telephone conversation about the Sunday edition of the Sun, launched in part to replace the News of the World, and Murdoch's Twitter comments. Moore said voters would be disappointed that Salmond's staff had given the date to a newspaper first and said it followed several damaging interventions from senior business organisations, particularly the Scottish energy giant SSE, questioning the delay until late 2014.
Michael Moore, the UK government's Scottish secretary, said many voters would be disappointed that Salmond's staff gave the date to a newspaper first, but added it was hardly a revelation given that Salmond had already named autumn 2014 as his preferred time. Moore said it showed that the first minister was "stalling for time without explaining why". The first minister was "stalling for time without explaining why", Moore said, adding: "The polls also show a significant majority of people want to vote earlier than 2014 and there is a clear alternative. [There] is no reason the referendum cannot happen earlier and the Scottish government must explain why they are making the people of Scotland wait so long."
"Briefing out on the date looks like panic in the wake of a major company such as SSE's concerns about investment and CBI Scotland raising issues about the length of time Scotland would have to wait for a vote under their plans," he said. The Scottish government responded by insisting on Sunday that 18 October was simply one of a number of possible dates being studied, and moved to reassure its critics by saying no decision on the final date would be made until its consultation on the referendum was complete.
"The polls also show a significant majority of people want to vote earlier than 2014 and there is a clear alternative. [There] is no reason the referendum cannot happen earlier and the Scottish government must explain why they are making the people of Scotland wait so long." But Stewart Hosie, one of the Scottish National party's election strategists and its Westminster Treasury spokesman, hinted it was a favoured day. In a BBC Scotland interview, he said: "The 18th of October is certainly in the autumn of 2014 and because it's a Saturday, not a Thursday, that's one of the areas the Scottish government are consulting on.
After splashing its "world exclusive" with the headline "Day of Destiny", the Scottish edition of the Sun, Scotland's largest selling daily paper, stopped short of endorsing independence. "But the key point is that the consultation isn't finished and I think it would be wrong for anyone to pre-empt the date that might be concluded from the consultation."
During last May's Scottish parliament elections, the Scottish Sun openly endorsed Salmond and the SNP after a long period of courtship of News International by the first minister, which included 25 meetings with its staff and executives, and offers of gifts to Murdoch, including Ryder Cup tickets and invitations to a Scottish cultural festival. The disclosure of this date follows a long courtship of Murdoch and News International by the first minister. By the summer of 2011, Salmond had had more than 25 meetings with News International editors and executives, and has showered the tycoon with gifts and made a direct bid to win Sky coverage of a Scottish cultural festival.
Despite apparent signals that the paper is leaning towards a yes vote in the referendum, its editorial said Salmond faced "an enormous two fold task to convince Scots to buy his vision". It added that "barely half" of Scotland's voters took part in last May's landslide election for Salmond. Murdoch has reciprocated with openly admiring remarks. Since joining Twitter on New Year's eve, the News Corporation owner has twice enthusiastically applauded Salmond's political skills and recently hinted strongly he favoured Scottish independence.
Describing that date as "the most defining moment in three centuries", it said many scare stories about the impact of independence, such as needing passports to visit England or being unable to watch Coronation Street, were unfounded. But it went on to argue that Salmond had to explain exactly why voters should support independence and why Scotland would be better off. In a clear indication that the Sun is hedging its bets about the referendum result, it said that was "the harder bit". After hailing the Times's decision to make Salmond "Briton of the year" in late December, Murdoch said earlier this month that Salmond was "clearly the most brilliant politician in the UK". He followed that with a tweet on Monday of last week stating: "Let Scotland go and compete. Everyone would win."
The following day, Salmond called Murdoch in London and had a private telephone conversation about the Sunday edition of the Sun, launched in part to replace the News of the World, in which they also discussed Murdoch's Twitter comments.
During last May's Scottish parliament elections the Scottish Sun openly endorsed Salmond but the paper defied speculation that it would mark the new Sunday edition by endorsing independence. In a carefully argued editorial, it said Salmond faced "an enormous two fold task to convince Scots to buy his vision".
It said many scare stories about the impact of independence, such as needing passports to visit England or being unable to watch Coronation Street, were unfounded.
But it went on to argue that Salmond had to explain exactly why voters should support independence and why Scotland would be better off. In a clear indication that the Sun is hedging its bets about the referendum result, it said that was "the harder bit".
In his article, Salmond sought to downplay the damaging impact of the Leveson inquiry into hacking and newspaper ethics, which led to the closure of the News of the World and the arrest of more than 20 News International executives and employees, including 10 serving and former staff on the Sun.In his article, Salmond sought to downplay the damaging impact of the Leveson inquiry into hacking and newspaper ethics, which led to the closure of the News of the World and the arrest of more than 20 News International executives and employees, including 10 serving and former staff on the Sun.
"The Leveson inquiry is, rightly, looking into some of the issues that have prompted these changes," he said. "But the questions the probe is looking at relate to the industry, not one newspaper or company.""The Leveson inquiry is, rightly, looking into some of the issues that have prompted these changes," he said. "But the questions the probe is looking at relate to the industry, not one newspaper or company."
He continued: "Scotland's newest Sunday paper will be a fresh and vibrant edition in a nation that has an insatiable appetite for news. [The] Scottish Sun will play an important part in the great debate on our future."He continued: "Scotland's newest Sunday paper will be a fresh and vibrant edition in a nation that has an insatiable appetite for news. [The] Scottish Sun will play an important part in the great debate on our future."
The Scottish government then attempted to downplay the disclosure of the referendum date, with an official spokesman claiming it was one of several being considered as part of an ongoing consultation on the referendum. "This date is of course a possibility, but we are in the process of a consultation on the independence referendum – which has already generated more than 2,500 responses," he said. "Once we have completed that process and listened to people's views we will take forward our plans for a referendum in autumn 2014."
The Scottish Labour Leader, Johann Lamont MSP, said nothing was preventing the SNP from holding the referendum now.The Scottish Labour Leader, Johann Lamont MSP, said nothing was preventing the SNP from holding the referendum now.
"We can't afford to wait years to make this decision," she said. "Donald Dewar held a referendum within 134 days of coming to power, but it is going to take Alex Salmond seven and a half years."We can't afford to wait years to make this decision," she said. "Donald Dewar held a referendum within 134 days of coming to power, but it is going to take Alex Salmond seven and a half years.
"Alex Salmond is supposed to be consulting with the Scottish people about his preferred date, but seems more interested in consulting with Rupert Murdoch.""Alex Salmond is supposed to be consulting with the Scottish people about his preferred date, but seems more interested in consulting with Rupert Murdoch."