No Clear Winner as Scots Debate Independence

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/world/europe/no-clear-winner-as-scots-debate-independence.html

Version 0 of 1.

LONDON — Despite fierce, sometimes angry, exchanges, a televised debate on Scottish independence from the rest of Britain failed to produce a decisive victor late Tuesday, a little more than six weeks before Scots vote.

Opinion polls indicate that Scots will reject independence on Sept. 18, making the two-hour confrontation particularly important for the leader of the campaign for independence, Scotland’s first minister, Alex Salmond, who has a reputation as a talented debater. Most commentators suggested, however, that he had not produced a knockout punch during the exchange with the leader of the campaign to keep the union, Al​istair Darling. A Scottish newspaper, The Scotsman, declared online that a “fiery debate” had produced “no clear winner.” Each side proclaimed itself happy with the outcome.

Little new ​information ​emerged, with both speakers sticking to entrenched positions, but Mr. Darling performed better than many had expected, perhaps benefiting from being the underdog. Mr. Darling, a Scot, was chancellor of the Exchequer in the last Labour government in Britain.

In several exchanges, Mr. Salmond argued that Scotland was being run by political parties in London that Scots did not support. Mr. Darling focused on the uncertainty surrounding independence, including the issue of which currency it would use. Mr. Salmond says Scots will continue to use the pound, but the three main British political parties have said that they do not want a currency union.

Mr. Salmond argued that it was Scotland’s pound “as well as England’s pound,” while Mr. Darling suggested that keeping the pound after independence would be “a bit like getting a divorce and keeping the same joint bank account.”

Mr. Darling said that any 8-year old could name a country’s flag, its capital and its currency but that Mr. Salmond could not give clear answers about what money an independent Scotland would use.

The reaction of the 350-strong studio audience seemed to judge Mr. Darling the winner of that exchange. Mr. Salmond, however, appeared to get the better of another, in which he repeatedly asked Mr. Darling whether he agreed with a comment made by the British prime minister, David Cameron, who opposes independence, in which he nevertheless suggested that Scotland would be able to manage as a successful independent country if that were the path it chose. Mr. Darling did not give a direct response.

There were also impassioned exchanges over the issue of Scotland’s representation within Britain, with Mr. Salmond arg​u​ing that “for more than half of my life, Scotland has been governed by parties that we didn’t elect at Westminster,” referring to the government in London.

Mr. Darling responded that this was the outcome of democracy and that he had never voted for Mr. Salmond, who is the head of Scotland’s government. Mr. Salmond ​countered that he had won a majority in Scotland. ​

The debate was telecast in Scotland by STV, an independent channel. Although available online in the rest of Britain, technical problems prevented many from watching, provoking angry comments online. The BBC plans to televise a second debate at the end of the month.

Only those living in Scotland may vote in the referendum in September, and Mr. Cameron has cited that reason for refusing to debate Mr. Salmond, leaving the task to Mr. Darling.