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| Scottish independence: Sir Tom Devine backs Yes campaign | Scottish independence: Sir Tom Devine backs Yes campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Leading Scottish historian Sir Tom Devine has announced he is now planning to vote "Yes" in the independence referendum. | Leading Scottish historian Sir Tom Devine has announced he is now planning to vote "Yes" in the independence referendum. |
| Sir Tom told the Observer newspaper that he had originally intended to vote "No". | Sir Tom told the Observer newspaper that he had originally intended to vote "No". |
| But he said he had been persuaded by what he described as a "flowering" of Scotland's economy. | But he said he had been persuaded by what he described as a "flowering" of Scotland's economy. |
| Opponents of independence have argued that Scotland's interests are best served by remaining part of the UK. | Opponents of independence have argued that Scotland's interests are best served by remaining part of the UK. |
| Sir Tom, 69, was knighted in this year's birthday honours list for services to the study of Scottish history. | |
| He is the author of more than 30 books, mainly on Scotland's history since the 1600s, and is perhaps best known for his work The Scottish Nation, which was published in 1999. | He is the author of more than 30 books, mainly on Scotland's history since the 1600s, and is perhaps best known for his work The Scottish Nation, which was published in 1999. |
| He told the Observer that he had until relatively recently backed a "devo-max" arrangement, with more powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament. | He told the Observer that he had until relatively recently backed a "devo-max" arrangement, with more powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament. |
| But he said he had since come to the conclusion there was now "very little left in the union except sentiment, history and family". | But he said he had since come to the conclusion there was now "very little left in the union except sentiment, history and family". |
| He added: "This has been quite a long journey for me and I've only come to a Yes conclusion over the last fortnight. | He added: "This has been quite a long journey for me and I've only come to a Yes conclusion over the last fortnight. |
| "The Scottish Parliament has demonstrated competent government and it represents a Scottish people who are wedded to a social democratic agenda and the kind of political values which sustained and were embedded in the welfare state of the late 1940s and 1950s. | "The Scottish Parliament has demonstrated competent government and it represents a Scottish people who are wedded to a social democratic agenda and the kind of political values which sustained and were embedded in the welfare state of the late 1940s and 1950s. |
| "It is the Scots who have succeeded most in preserving the British idea of fairness and compassion in terms of state support and intervention. Ironically, it is England, since the 1980s, which has embarked on a separate journey." | "It is the Scots who have succeeded most in preserving the British idea of fairness and compassion in terms of state support and intervention. Ironically, it is England, since the 1980s, which has embarked on a separate journey." |
| Sir Tom also said there had been a "silent transformation" of the Scottish economy from heavy industry to a more diversified model. | Sir Tom also said there had been a "silent transformation" of the Scottish economy from heavy industry to a more diversified model. |
| He said: "We have a resilient economic system and reserves of one of the most important things for an independent estate: power. | He said: "We have a resilient economic system and reserves of one of the most important things for an independent estate: power. |
| "Power through the assets of oil and also through the potential of wind energy. In this, Scotland is disproportionately endowed compared to almost all other European countries." | "Power through the assets of oil and also through the potential of wind energy. In this, Scotland is disproportionately endowed compared to almost all other European countries." |
| His declaration was welcomed by Blair Jenkins, head of the Yes Scotland campaign for independence, who said Sir Tom offered "great insight" into Scotland's rise as a nation. | His declaration was welcomed by Blair Jenkins, head of the Yes Scotland campaign for independence, who said Sir Tom offered "great insight" into Scotland's rise as a nation. |
| But in a speech to campaign supporters in Coatbridge on Saturday, the leader of the pro-UK Better Together campaign said a vote for independence was a vote for "austerity plus" for years to come. | But in a speech to campaign supporters in Coatbridge on Saturday, the leader of the pro-UK Better Together campaign said a vote for independence was a vote for "austerity plus" for years to come. |
| Alistair Darling also said of Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond: "There isn't much in his actual record to support his claim to want redistribution. In seven years as first minister there has been not one policy which redistributes wealth from rich to poor - indeed the opposite is true." | Alistair Darling also said of Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond: "There isn't much in his actual record to support his claim to want redistribution. In seven years as first minister there has been not one policy which redistributes wealth from rich to poor - indeed the opposite is true." |
| Mr Darling continued: "The certainty is that the currency chaos he would inflict would lead to more cuts and greater poverty. Let's be clear - currency chaos hits the poor harder than anyone. | Mr Darling continued: "The certainty is that the currency chaos he would inflict would lead to more cuts and greater poverty. Let's be clear - currency chaos hits the poor harder than anyone. |
| "The cuts would have to be across the board - from schools to hospitals, from pensions to welfare payments to some of our most vulnerable fellow citizens. | "The cuts would have to be across the board - from schools to hospitals, from pensions to welfare payments to some of our most vulnerable fellow citizens. |
| "My starting point is that I want Scotland to be fairer, more prosperous and have greater opportunities. | "My starting point is that I want Scotland to be fairer, more prosperous and have greater opportunities. |
| "And from that starting point I have come to the conclusion that we are more likely to have the strength to become fairer, more prosperous and have greater opportunities by working with our neighbours in the United Kingdom." | "And from that starting point I have come to the conclusion that we are more likely to have the strength to become fairer, more prosperous and have greater opportunities by working with our neighbours in the United Kingdom." |