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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Scottish independence: Both sides claim TV debate victory | Scottish independence: Both sides claim TV debate victory |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Both sides of the independence debate have insisted their side came out on top in the TV head to head between Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling. | Both sides of the independence debate have insisted their side came out on top in the TV head to head between Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling. |
| The Yes campaign claimed Mr Salmond did more to win over undecided voters on whether an independent Scotland would be a fairer society. | The Yes campaign claimed Mr Salmond did more to win over undecided voters on whether an independent Scotland would be a fairer society. |
| But Better Together said the debate highlighted Mr Salmond's lack of a Plan B on what currency Scotland would use. | But Better Together said the debate highlighted Mr Salmond's lack of a Plan B on what currency Scotland would use. |
| The STV debate came six weeks ahead of the 18 September vote. | The STV debate came six weeks ahead of the 18 September vote. |
| Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander, a leading figure in the Better Together campaign, told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme the debate was a "hugely significant, perhaps decisive" moment in the campaign. | Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander, a leading figure in the Better Together campaign, told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme the debate was a "hugely significant, perhaps decisive" moment in the campaign. |
| He said: "Alistair Darling was asking the questions that millions of us, as Scots, are wanting the answers to, most notably 'what would the currency be? | He said: "Alistair Darling was asking the questions that millions of us, as Scots, are wanting the answers to, most notably 'what would the currency be? |
| "We know the capital would be Edinburgh, we know the flag would be the Saltire - but we still don't know what the currency would be with just six weeks to go." | "We know the capital would be Edinburgh, we know the flag would be the Saltire - but we still don't know what the currency would be with just six weeks to go." |
| He added: "It seems this morning that a new definition of scaremongering is asking the first minister a question he can't answer." | He added: "It seems this morning that a new definition of scaremongering is asking the first minister a question he can't answer." |
| The Yes campaign's chief executive Blair Jenkins claimed Better Together's "Project Fear" style of campaigning meant they were unable to accept Scotland could be a prosperous independent country. | The Yes campaign's chief executive Blair Jenkins claimed Better Together's "Project Fear" style of campaigning meant they were unable to accept Scotland could be a prosperous independent country. |
| He said: "Alistair Darling could not bring himself to use the word 'Yes' in answer to the question 'Could Scotland be a successful independent country?' | He said: "Alistair Darling could not bring himself to use the word 'Yes' in answer to the question 'Could Scotland be a successful independent country?' |
| "So negative is the No campaign it seems that they have excised the word 'Yes' from any possible usage. | "So negative is the No campaign it seems that they have excised the word 'Yes' from any possible usage. |
| "This referendum is going to be won in the millions of conversations going on around Scotland right now and over the next six weeks. | "This referendum is going to be won in the millions of conversations going on around Scotland right now and over the next six weeks. |
| Analysis by Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland political editor | |
| How to sum up the televised encounter? Today, away from the eager vacuity of spin, Alex Salmond turned to a great icon of the 20th century for inspiration. | |
| Gandhi perhaps? JFK? Nelson Mandela? Not quite. | |
| Mr Salmond's guru of choice was Zsa Zsa Gabor. | |
| The FM's view of his opponent, Alistair Darling, was that "macho doesn't prove mucho". | |
| Apparently, Mr Salmond reckons that finger-jabbing repetition of a question about "Currency Plan B" does not a debate make. | |
| Which, when you think about it, is rather intriguing, given that the common presumption in advance was that it was Mr Darling who should fear hectoring from t'other side. | |
| Read more from Brian. | |
| "We have the more active and more numerous volunteers. We know we are going to win this on every street and every doorstep." | "We have the more active and more numerous volunteers. We know we are going to win this on every street and every doorstep." |
| A snapshot ICM/Guardian poll of 512 people immediately after the two-hour live debate found a majority thought Alistair Darling had fared better. | A snapshot ICM/Guardian poll of 512 people immediately after the two-hour live debate found a majority thought Alistair Darling had fared better. |
| More than 56% thought Mr Darling came out on top while 44% thought Mr Salmond won. | More than 56% thought Mr Darling came out on top while 44% thought Mr Salmond won. |
| However, Blair Jenkins insisted another ICM question showed Mr Salmond made greater strides at convincing undecided voters to back independence. | However, Blair Jenkins insisted another ICM question showed Mr Salmond made greater strides at convincing undecided voters to back independence. |
| He said: "As we all know, the question on 18 September is not who do you like best - Alex Salmond or Alistair Darling. | He said: "As we all know, the question on 18 September is not who do you like best - Alex Salmond or Alistair Darling. |
| "It's should Scotland be an independent country. And the movement from the ICM poll was towards Yes. | "It's should Scotland be an independent country. And the movement from the ICM poll was towards Yes. |
| "What people saw laid out very starkly last night was the story of this referendum, the story of two very different campaigns. | "What people saw laid out very starkly last night was the story of this referendum, the story of two very different campaigns. |
| "The ICM poll shows very clearly that the movement during the debate was towards Yes. The swing was towards Yes. | "The ICM poll shows very clearly that the movement during the debate was towards Yes. The swing was towards Yes. |
| "Among the don't knows the ICM poll showed, by a majority of two to one, those who made up their mind in the course of the debate moved to Yes." | "Among the don't knows the ICM poll showed, by a majority of two to one, those who made up their mind in the course of the debate moved to Yes." |
| Find out what Scotland's newspapers made of the debate. | Find out what Scotland's newspapers made of the debate. |
| Douglas Alexander said Alistair Darling had highlighted the issues that Scots were talking about "around the breakfast table, at their workplaces and at school gates". | Douglas Alexander said Alistair Darling had highlighted the issues that Scots were talking about "around the breakfast table, at their workplaces and at school gates". |
| He said: "A female audience member last night said, we deserve better than 'It'll Be Alright On The Night'. | He said: "A female audience member last night said, we deserve better than 'It'll Be Alright On The Night'. |
| "What I found remarkable was that for someone as skilled a debater as Alex Salmond, the answers were not forthcoming." | "What I found remarkable was that for someone as skilled a debater as Alex Salmond, the answers were not forthcoming." |
| Key moments of the debate included Mr Darling being asked 21 times if he agreed with David Cameron that it was possible for Scotland to be a "successful independent country". | Key moments of the debate included Mr Darling being asked 21 times if he agreed with David Cameron that it was possible for Scotland to be a "successful independent country". |
| Alistair Darling's repeated questioning of Alex Salmond's currency plans for an independent Scotland elicited the biggest response on social media, with more than 2,000 tweets during that segment of the debate. | Alistair Darling's repeated questioning of Alex Salmond's currency plans for an independent Scotland elicited the biggest response on social media, with more than 2,000 tweets during that segment of the debate. |
| A total of 186,267 tweets were sent overall throughout the show on STV. A number of people expressed frustration at technical problems that interrupted the broadcaster's live online streaming of the event. | A total of 186,267 tweets were sent overall throughout the show on STV. A number of people expressed frustration at technical problems that interrupted the broadcaster's live online streaming of the event. |
| The BBC had asked for permission to stream the debate live online and use it on other platforms, but the request was declined by STV. | The BBC had asked for permission to stream the debate live online and use it on other platforms, but the request was declined by STV. |
| A second debate is to take place on the BBC later this month. | A second debate is to take place on the BBC later this month. |