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The differential slip

Posted on February 20, 2014 by

As alert readers know, we don’t get ourselves overly excited about individual opinion polls, even when they’re like today’s Survation one showing a big 5.5% swing to Yes in the wake of George Osborne’s intervention on a currency union last week.

differential

What we DO like to ponder is the more interesting data buried in such surveys.

A factor which is very rarely considered when analysing polling is so-called “differential turnout”. Crudely put, this refers to a measure of how much voters on various sides of various debates care about the issue in question.

By way of example – and we have no evidence to back this view up with, it’s purely for illustrative purposes – in the UK referendum on AV a couple of years back, it seemed to us that most of the people in the No camp REALLY hated the idea of AV, whereas those in favour were pretty wishy-washy about it.

(Understandably, as AV itself is incredibly wishy-washy.)

no2av

What that means psephologically speaking is that the No side were much more likely to make the effort to turn out and vote than the Yes supporters, because they felt much more strongly about it. Yes voters might have been put off by a rainy day or something good on the telly, whereas those opposed to AV loathed it so much they’d have crawled over red-hot broken glass under gunfire to get to the polling station.

In the Scottish independence referendum, though, that phenomenon is reversed. And this time, thanks to a TNS poll also released today alongside the Survation one, we actually do have some evidence to support the assertion.

tnsdiff1

The graph above, taken from the TNS website, shows the percentages of various demographics who say they’ll definitely turn out in September. Interestingly, the over-55s and the ABC1 social category (very broadly put, the well-off), both traditionally heavily biased towards No, are significantly more likely to vote than their peer groups.

But the poll also shows that Yes voters are 11% more likely to turn out than No voters, and the effect that has on the overall figures is fascinating.

tnsdiff2

The graphs above depict the “raw” poll numbers above, and the numbers counting only those certain to vote below. And what they show is that despite having to combat the greater turnout of over-55s and ABC1s, the higher propensity of Yes voters to get out and put their cross in a box on September 18 shifts the figures from a 13-point deficit (42 vs 29) to a nine-point one (44 vs 35).

That’s not small beer. That’s equivalent to a 2% extra swing just from getting your vote out. And with the Survation poll showing only a 4.5% swing needed for Yes to win, it’s a factor that could yet be hugely significant.

Voting against your own country’s independence, even if you genuinely believe it to be for the best, is not a rousing or inspiring prospect, and no matter how much Alistair Darling and Blair McDougall scream “There is no room for complacency!” at their troops, some people just won’t be able to find it in their hearts to get up, put their shoes on, travel halfway across town and actively announce to the world that their country is uniquely too wee, too poor, too stupid and too afraid to run its own affairs.

It’s just one of the many reasons we don’t make much of a song and dance about the headline figures in polls. They don’t tell the whole story.

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  1. 21 02 14 10:32

    Uniformity Versus Pluralism | An Sionnach Fionn
    Ignored

86 to “The differential slip”

  1. chalks
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Rev, was looking for the history of the likely to vote…..it seems Osbournes intervention has had a massive effect on the no voters who are likely to vote…..more evidence of the soft as shite nature of their support!

  2. Alan MacD
    Ignored
    says:

    “Among those certain to vote.”

    Excuse my ignorance but why have they included a don’t know option on that?

  3. Tattie-bogle
    Ignored
    says:

    no matter the result in 2 years times no one will admit to voting no that i have no doubt of

  4. Angus McLellan
    Ignored
    says:

    One thing about differential turnout that I have always wondered about is the question of Jam Tomorrow. If I am one of those 10% or so of people who still don’t want Holyrood to exist at all, or one of those 25% who think that everything is just peachy with today’s setup, would I be more or less likely to turn out and vote No if No didn’t mean nothing?

  5. K Mackay
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan MacD, I could be wrong but I think it’s because a certain amount of undecided voters (according to the poll 49%) feel the referendum is very important and want to take part but haven’t decided which way to go yet.

    In my personal experience most of these folk are leaning towards Yes but are afraid that we ‘can’t afford it’. I usually respond by saying that I think we’ll all be very surprised by how wealthy Scotland turns out to be once all our revenues are flowing through our own treasury and we’re freed of burdens like Trident and massive military underspend. I point them to BussinesforScotland and ofcourse Wings 🙂 Even before they’ve gone away to look it up I find most folk react really favorably when I’m so upbeat about our prospects, I think many people are sick of the media telling us we’re useless and subsidized and are just waiting for someone to dispel it.

    I guess the 51% undecided who’re not likely to vote are undecided because they don’t really care either way. That’s pretty depressing IMHO but it might be easier for us to motivate these folk to get involved than it will be for NoScotland because we’ve got a real vision of change to offer.

    Sorry for the ramble, got carried away

  6. Peter Mirtitsch
    Ignored
    says:

    Interestingly enough, the “Yes/No” poster with five pros and five cons has a notable “con”. Apparently the THIRD PLACE candidate can steal the election. Hmmmmm. So in SCOTLAND…the THIRD and FOURTH place parties stole the UK General Election, and nationally, the third place party leapfrogged the second place… :/

  7. Nick, Son of Tony
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice analogy that limited slip differential! Clever! I know that amongst my friends and family I am the most rabid yes supporter, and I also know that those around me who are in the no camp are at best frustrated at the referendum, at worst tetchy. If it came down to it, a what if if you will – say Celtic and Rangers put on an exhibition game, I know I would still be voting on the 18th of September, would the No supporters?

  8. Holebender
    Ignored
    says:

    Wibble. Is this really the only way to see comments?

  9. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    I commented on this stat last night, as you say if true its a massive advantage to the Yes vote. It means that even if Yes was behind by 5 percent in the polls going into the referendum we would still win!

    Some maths:
    10,000 people say they will vote No
    9,000 people say they will vote Yes

    73% turnout for No equals 7,300
    84% turnout for Yes equal 7,560

    Yes wins!

  10. Doug Daniel
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan MacD:

    Excuse my ignorance but why have they included a don’t know option on that?

    Those folk fully intend to vote – they just don’t know which way yet.

  11. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    If I have to crawl to that polling station over broken glass carrying a.n. other on my back. That cross will be going in the YES box.

    Put it that way.

  12. Tattie-bogle
    Ignored
    says:

    anyone know when the electoral role forms come out . i sent in my registration of a change of address and i’ve not heard didley squat yet. GCC just wondering if am deid and voting by post. it was a while back i sent it in 🙂

  13. K Mackay
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi, Holebender, Stu says we’ve got to put ‘p@ge refresh’ so that he can easily round up and delete the refreshing comments. Replace that @ sign with a normal ‘a’ though, I just had to do that so it wouldn’t go straight into moderation.

    I quite liked seeing the increasingly bizarre word combos folk were putting up but I can see Stu’s point that it’s likely to confuse new readers who don’t know what it’s all about.

  14. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    Is there any evidence to suggest that DKs are more or less likely to vote Yes?

  15. Craneskin
    Ignored
    says:

    YES is motivated by passion and NO is motivated by apathy.

    That’s the difference.

    YES cares NO scares

  16. muttley79
    Ignored
    says:

    Over to you Captain Darling! How are you going to rally your troops for mission self preservation… 😀 😀

  17. magnus barelegs
    Ignored
    says:

    no is based on a false political construct fake “country” called the uk that once you scratch the surface of it there is nothing beneath it, its foundations are built on quicksand. its an empty meaningless void of nothingness in more ways than one.

    union=colonialism by stealth since day one….time to break once and for all.

  18. Misteralz
    Ignored
    says:

    Can we have an article relating the indyref to Ackerman angle now, please?

  19. Gillie
    Ignored
    says:

    I sense panic in the NO ranks.

  20. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    Lets say that in the final days leading up to referendum the opinion polls suggest this:

    No: 45%
    Yes: 40%
    DK: 15%

    If we split the DKs equally then we get No 52.5% and Yes 47.5%. If we apply the 73% 84% rule then the outcome based on 4 million eligible voters would be:

    Turnout: 78.23%
    No votes: 1,533,000
    Yes votes: 1,596,000

    No: 48.99%
    Yes: 51.01%

    The conclusion from these figures is that I am a total geek.

  21. Roll_On_2014
    Ignored
    says:

    How refreshing

  22. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    You do have to wonder if Lord Snooty no.2’s visit last week is not part of an actual cunning plan to open up England for another generation of rule by Tory boy. Milliband’s Labour is just going to have to come up with an electable progressive plan for middle England because their 50 year tenure in Scotland is over now.

  23. rab_the_doubter
    Ignored
    says:

    I plan to take the day off and (if I’ve still got a car I will be happy to transport any Yes supporters in the Shawlands area to the polling station if needed)

  24. faolie
    Ignored
    says:

    @James123

    Obviously that would be fine, but inside I’d feel a mite disappointed that, a) we only just scraped it, and b) that so many people voted no.

    But I’d take it nontheless.

  25. Appleby
    Ignored
    says:

    What about the factoring in of the postal vote fiddling and the shipping in of people from care homes under instructions or promise of tea and biscuits, etc.?

  26. bookie from hell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes/No.”

    na·tion

    noun \?n?-sh?n\

    area of land that is controlled by its own government the people who live in a nation

    coun·try

    noun \?k?n-tr?\

    an area of land that is controlled by its own government the people who live in a country

    which side chose country?

  27. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    @faolie
    Obviously that would be fine, but inside I’d feel a mite disappointed that, a) we only just scraped it, and b) that so many people voted no.

    That is the most pessimistic scenario, if Yes and No are equal you’re talking about a win by 5%, if Yes is in the lead you start getting into landslide territory.

  28. bunter
    Ignored
    says:

    refresh

  29. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    I got a Better Together ‘newspaper’ through the door today.

    An eight-page effort, but no date on it. Articles about SuBo, Alex Ferguson, and a recipe for Raspberry Brownies.

    Is it an old thing? Feels as if it was probably printed last year. Don’t know if neighbours got the same, or it’s a local who saw Yes stickers on the car and felt moved to enlighten me.

  30. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    That is the most pessimistic scenario, if Yes and No are equal you’re talking about a win by 5%

    Correction, its 7%.

  31. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    I have been something similar for yonks now on all the main discussion boards I comment on.

    It is a big ask to get people out and vote no against their own country.
    The no camp have to get them to cross that Rubicon.

    The unionists’ know this is a hard task so hence the extreme scare tactics by the no camp.

  32. dmw42
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood – isn’t that the one that Patrick Harvie mentioned a couple of months back? He said something along the lines of ‘a very good newspaper…I particularly enjoyed the crossword and the brownie recipe.

  33. jingly jangly
    Ignored
    says:

    Updates still not working via Q, Big Cumbrae

  34. Big Jock
    Ignored
    says:

    Shhhhhhhh! Don’t tell them this!

  35. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    Oops!
    Should have read: “I have been saying something similar…”

  36. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Been predicting a win for over two years now when any figure for the Yes support was derided as delusional – 63% of those voting.

    The other evening I came across a happy supporter recorded predicting with absolute confidence 68%.

    Terrific if it’s that high to help stop the, “a minority carried the day so it doesn’t count,” predicable backlash.

    The Nos, Not Sures, and the, I’ll think About Its, are an impossible grouping to galvanise because they’re not a single entity, not homogenous. All one can do is whip up a detestation of those proposing greater powers and hope the No’s get an hour off work, or out from the glare of their television screens.

  37. kalmar
    Ignored
    says:

    Stands to reason doesn’t it – people who are fearful of self determination are more likely to avoid exercising it themselves. In droves!

  38. Harry Shanks
    Ignored
    says:

    I can think of one humungous potential fly in the ointment with this:

    POSTAL VOTES.

    The NO side will make sure their elderly potential voters don’t even HAVE to turn out.

  39. Angry Weegie
    Ignored
    says:

    @james123 @faolie

    Don’t worry, folks, it’s more likely to be 60/40, maybe even heading for 65/35.

    Recent canvassing has shown very few really strong NO’s, unlike at then end of last year when I was frequently abused on the street, or had the door shut in my face.

  40. Indy_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    I put £20 on a Yes greater than 55 percent at 7/1 this morning.

    I dont’ know much about betting, but I think that is a good deal.

  41. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T.

    I see Billy Bragg has waded into our business by backing David Bowie. Are the no side that desperate for celebrity endorsements that they have to ship in non Scots.

  42. Gillie
    Ignored
    says:

    sneddon says: stovies and brown sauce

    Now that has pushed me over the edge.

  43. Gillie
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder which planet Billy Bragg comes from?

    David Bowie – Mars
    Kate Moss – Venus
    John Barrowman – Uranus
    The Krankies – Pluto

  44. Macandroid
    Ignored
    says:

    @ sneddon
    Stu says we’ve got to put ‘p@ge refresh’ so that he can easily round up and delete the refreshing comments. Replace that @ sign with a normal ‘a’ though, I just had to do that so it wouldn’t go straight into moderation.
    Thanks for text K Mackay.

  45. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    This is fun, but it’s not really realistic. There’s nearly seven months still to go, and it’s way too early to be playing in the cracks and wondering if we can swing it by a few votes if some No voters stay at home. Yes Scotland hasn’t really started yet. Remember the £7 million on billboards? There’s going to be a huge push, and I hope everyone is gearing up to be part of it.

    I don’t know what No can do. If they try to use their “Big Bully” muscle it puts people off. If they try love-bombing, people know it’s not sincere.

    We’re already on 45%, and possibly a little higher. We don’t need to agonise over differential turnout figures at this stage. A swing of 6% or7% should be easily achievable, and I believe it will be more than that. I’m also backing >60% Yes on the day.

  46. Gillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Morag – good summary of where we are.

  47. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    A lot of usable information when you, pull the cover back, and see, who’s more determined to vote, yae or nae, thankfully it seems yae is the preferred option, by most.

    O/T David Cameron’s, sermon on the mound II, will take place in Scotland on Monday, when he brings his cabinet north of the border, to preach yet again.

    David Cameron who came to power in 2010, has never brought the cabinet north of the border, but has taken them to Wales and English cities, I wonder why he’s made it his point to come to Scotland, for the very first time.

    The coalition cabinet will meet in the north east of Scotland

  48. Dick Gaughan
    Ignored
    says:

    alexicon says:
    I see Billy Bragg has waded into our business by backing David Bowie.

    Can you provide a source for that? Up to now Billy has been a supporter of Independence and has repeatedly used us an example for England so I’d be interested to see what he’s saying now and why he’s jumped ship.

    Not that it matters much, he doesn’t have a vote 🙂

  49. crisiscult
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry to go o/t but with the media focus on a rather simplistic East/West narrative on Ukraine, this video gives you an emotional sense of why many people are protesting – the corrupt system (regardless of whether it’s pro West or Pro East). Fortunately our situation in Scotland hasn’t got so out of control but I think we can all identify with the frustration of corrupt politicians only interested in themselves.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvds2AIiWLA

    Maybe the BBC should watch this video and give up on the narrative that the protests are caused by the refusal to join the EU.

  50. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    Has anyone factored in the weather into predictions?

    A German meteorologist has predicted a hot summer for UK this year 75% likelihood (El Nino effect)

  51. FreddieThreepwood
    Ignored
    says:

    I thought Bragg had already said he was in favour of Scottish independence, no? He’s an English nationalist (of the nice sort) and sees a Yes vote as a necessary way of shaking up politics across these islands.
    Has he been brainwashed by the Man Who Fell to Perth?

  52. McHaggis
    Ignored
    says:

    Please spare me… found this on a friends facebook page where he has declared his intention to vote ‘No’…

    This is genuinely a response he got from a fellow ‘No’ voter (female) –

    “Lots of things like our pensions. Carriage on items for manufacturing with all the distribution companies having relocated south of the border. Internet searches if no longer under UK and of course the biggy money, passports and driving licenses.”

    It would bring a tear to a glass eye :0(

  53. CUtommy
    Ignored
    says:

    David Bowie said “Scotland, please stay with us”. Where does he think Scotland is going?

    If you are listening David, Scotland is going nowhere. We just want to change our current status from ‘resentful prisoner’ to ‘cooperative friendly neighbour’.

  54. sneddon
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry Gillie, its been on my mind for a couple of days now and its all I could think of to refresh page. Macandroid- thanks I didn’t realise untiI I’refreshed’ the page and saw your message. I have to agree with Morag. We’re on 40 % plus so far in the polls and the campaign funds havn’t been fully deployed yet.

  55. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s George Osborne in Hong kong admitting the UK’s economy is, very poor and stagnating, yet Mr Osborne tells us the economy is on the up and unemployment is down. Surely George Osborne wouldn’t lie to us would he?.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2563388/Economic-recovery-not-secure-warns-Chancellor-George-Osborne.html

  56. Calgacus MacAndrews
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dick Gaughan says:
    Can you provide a source for that? Up to now Billy has been a supporter of Independence

    Billy Bragg story at the Daily Record:-

    http://archive.is/nAKGK

  57. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    Someone at Yes Tweeddale last night said, maybe we should hope for a nasty wet day on 18th September. I don’t agree though. A lovely sunny day always brings out the optimist in people.

    If we have a lovely summer right through from May or June, that could be quite handy as well.

  58. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “I see Billy Bragg has waded into our business by backing David Bowie. Are the no side that desperate for celebrity endorsements that they have to ship in non Scots.”

    At least Billy Bragg made an argument.

  59. chicmac
    Ignored
    says:

    “Has anyone factored in the weather into predictions?
    A German meteorologist has predicted a hot summer for UK this year 75% likelihood (El Nino effect)”

    I think the No campaigns biggest fear, is a postal strike. 😉

  60. Dick Gaughan
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for the link Calgacus. I think the most pertinent comment in that article is:

    Bragg is among several high-profile musicians – including The Proclaimers and Annie Lennox – who have voiced their support for a Yes vote in September’s referendum.

    He wasn’t backing the content of Bowie’s comment, he was backing Bowie’s right to make it.

  61. Dick Gaughan
    Ignored
    says:

    Hmmm … that article seems to have disappeared now.

  62. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s Ben Acheson, of the Huffington Post, saying “Can the Scottish Government be trusted to run a country”.

    When you look at the state of the rUK’s financies, and the down grading of their AAA credit rating not once but twice, then throw in the £1.3 trillion pounds of debt, I think we know the answer to Mr Acheson’s question, and its yes.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ben-acheson/scottish-independence_b_4809069.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

  63. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    OT, but look what I have to put up with when discussing this with a forum of mainly non-Scots.

    http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?postid=9850715#post9850715

    HandandShrimp, you might call in there occasionally and give us a hand (and shrimp).

  64. Flower of Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    O/t
    This is some of a reply , from my local MSP , about BBC bias ” I note Lord Patten,s reference to new guidelines that will be published in March to assist reporters when handling matters relating to the Referendum ”
    The MSP also said that he hoped that the level of debate can improve in the lead-up to the referendum and that the current bias, shown by Dr Robertson,s report , is removed so as to ensure the BBC can abide by it,s duty to provide fair , accurate reporting .
    We will see ! Don’t think the BBC can or wants to change ! 100,s of mentions on BBC !! Shameful !!

  65. Flower of Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry ! The mentions on BBC was David Bowie !! Again and again and again !!

  66. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s Shane Croucher of the IBT saying Robert the Bruce wanted independence, William wallace wanted independence, but Alex Salmond doesn’t want independence.

    http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/scottish-independence-how-david-cameron-can-beat-alex-salmond-1436799

  67. Muscleguy
    Ignored
    says:

    Troops on the ground should help too. I haven’t noticed it here in the UK but in NZ on election days the parties have cars flying their colours from aerials etc (all election materials, posters etc must be down on election day, only colours allowed on the day). These cars are used to ferry those who have trouble getting to the polls to them so they can vote and dropping them home again. It helps that in civilised parts of the world elections are held on a Saturday.

    I would hope Yes have such plans to help get the vote out or are we just going to assume the infirm are going to use postal votes?

  68. Flower of Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Sent the BBC a text asking why they have to mention david Bowie 100,s of times !
    Said sorry I forgot of course they were on the NO,s side !

  69. Cymru Rydd
    Ignored
    says:

    The Survation poll results, being the first since George Osborne’s intervention last week are very interesting.

    It would seem to confirm that Bullingdon Boy’s intervention has completely back-fired. But has it really back-fired for him though?

    It’s not out of the question that there would have to be a snap general election in rUK post a YES vote in September in view of such a huge constitutional change and also to provide a mandate for a new rUK government which would have to handle the negotiations with a newly independent Scotland.

    In such circumstances, can David Cameron really feel sure that he would be the man to lead such an election campaign(the man who lost Scotland?). Even if Cameron has been doing his level best to set up Labour for a massive fall in the event of YES, there is no way that he, as prime minister, can be untouched by such a failure for the British state.

    Perhaps George Osborne would be a better bet for the Tories in such a situation. After all, his hard-line unionist credentials have been boosted by his comments in Scotland( as witnessed by that poll which showed most people in UK shifted to a position of being opposed to a currency union after his intervention. There is a meanness and a ruthlessness to Osborne which would really appeal to the febrile mood-music in England, in such an election scenario.

    I really believe that his comments in Edinburgh were designed to convey that image- not to people in Scotland, but to people in England. He was saying in effect, you can trust me to take the toughest stance possible in any future negotiations with Scotland.

    That sounds very ominous at one level, and one can imagine the rUK media also fuelling an outraged/affronted mentality towards Scotland during this particular period. But, hopefully, by that point more information and light will to be shed on the exact nature of rUK’s indebtedness and the relative strength of the Scottish economy in comparison to that.

    The fury and outrage will have to give way eventually to a more hard-headed pragmatism that will accept the new order.

  70. niall
    Ignored
    says:

    O/t

    Did anyone else go the Angus Armstrong lecture today? If so, what are your thoughts?

  71. Look Skye Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Two for the price of one:

  72. Bugger (the Panda)
    Ignored
    says:

    OT

    Dave fecks it up again.

    http://tinyurl.com/lpldsp7

    The gift that goes on giving.

    When is due in the NE and what bollock will drop there?

  73. Steve B
    Ignored
    says:

    With reference to Postal Votes and “bribing” OAPs with tea and biscuits, etc. I don’t think will be as big a problem as it can be in normal elections because this kind of activity is only really effective where there is a need to get only a relatively small number of voters on-board in fairly specific areas to make a big difference.

    The beauty of a referendum is that EVERY vote counts – no matter from where in the country – there is no such thing as a wasted vote. Therefore unless the result is on a knife-edge nationally where only a very few thousand votes could change the outcome I don’t think this will be a decisive issue.

    Remember Labour are only strong in certain localities and I would hazard a guess it’d only be in the areas where they are strong (i.e. have boots on the ground) that they could make any attempt collect postal votes in any quantity.

  74. tartanfever
    Ignored
    says:

    Cymru –

    read your post about Osbourne. Interesting.

    Are you suggesting that by sending Osbourne to Scotland that the Tories have effectively given up on Independence ? Now the strategy is to secure rUK into fighting Scotland post-vote and the tories are going to act tough to ensure they stay in power at Westminster ?

  75. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    “I think the No campaigns biggest fear, is a postal strike. “

    Ha ha ha ha ha
    Ooh I wonder if that could be arranged? 🙂

  76. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    Alexicon
    That is very very strange what you say about Bill Bragg
    as he did come out with support for independence.
    This is from his Facebook page (comment of February 7th):

    “Now that David Cameron has called for the United Kingdom to remain together, we’re going to hear plenty of scare stories about what might happen if the Scots vote for independence in September. This link seeks to expose one of the biggest – the idea that if the Scots MPs go, the Tories will have an unassailable in-built majority at Westminster.

    I’m in favour of Scottish independence because I believe that it is ultimately about accountability, as is socialism. If the Scots leave, we in England will need to make some big constitutional changes. If a new English parliament or regional assemblies are created, they will surely use proportional representation and, as a result, we will have greater choice at the ballot box”

    On the same comment he has a link to Wings over Scotland!
    https://www.facebook.com/billybraggofficial
    and just to add
    from your favour Scottish(?) paper the Daily Record
    http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/english-signer-billy-bragg-welcomes-3166628 (Sorry rev but archive.is is completely down)

  77. Gfaetheblock
    Ignored
    says:

    I am always dismayed by celebrity endorsements from either side, the refuge of the politician unable to deliver their own message. However the interesting element here is that this brought the conversation into primetime TV during a light entertainment show. Bowie will have reached many more non political geek voter than hosie, Marta et al did the other night.

    Re postal votes, I am staggered that more folk don’t use them. My vote will be logged two weeks in advance. Weather, illness, work or family commitments will not get in the way up.

  78. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dick Gaughan & Edward,
    Forgive the late reply, I’m at work.
    I just read the headline on newsnow and I didn’t have time to read the article. Newsnow is a good source for Scottish Independence headlines from the UK and overseas.

  79. M
    Ignored
    says:

    Good article but remember what you are describing is NOT about getting your vote out as you claim. Yes can probably expect an additional boost from having a better get the vote out operation over and above what you are describing – which is about the existing motivation of the Yes vote.

  80. eric
    Ignored
    says:

    This Referendum is going to be won or lost on the estates and the previously disenfranchised.

    The ‘better off’ and therefore ‘defenders of the status quo’ are indeed more likely to get out to vote.

    We need to ensure that the ordinary man / woman in the street understands the importance of their vote.

  81. Taranaich
    Ignored
    says:

    What’s very interesting about the “intention to vote” turnout is that it mirrors a growing phenomenon I’ve noticed among my No voting acquaintances. After Osborne’s intervention, several of them have said that while they won’t vote Yes, they’ve instead said they won’t vote at all. While I would personally prefer that as many people vote as possible, I think it’s very telling that they would rather not vote at all than choose not to vote.

    How many of those “will not voters” are Nos who have realised the bankruptcy of the Westminster system, but can’t quite bring themselves to do anything to change it? I cannot fathom a single Yes-sympathetic voter who actively refuses to go to the polling station in September, but I’ve seen plenty of evidence of many previous No voters suddenly declining to put themselves forward.

    I do believe there’s something in this, and it shouldn’t be ignored. Perhaps, as Rev says, they just can’t quite bring themselves to vote against their own country. Or perhaps they *know* that things must change, but won’t take responsibility if there’s a Yes vote and things go to hell.

    Personally, while it’s better from a pragmatic point of view for these No-leaning non-voters to stay at home, I can’t help but feel that this is too important an issue not to vote on. It’s difficult for me to understand anyone being truly undecided on this issue, but I recognize that there really are some people out there who somehow haven’t made their decision.

    “You can’t change anything anyway, so why bother?” “Salmond’s as bad as the others, so why bother?” “We’ll just have the same problems as before, so why bother?” And I have to say: why do you THINK this is the case? It’s because people THINK they can’t do anything to change. They THINK there’s nothing they can do. That’s what they’re counting on.

    The Establishment is saying “you can’t do that.” “You can’t have the pound.” “You can’t be in the EU.” “You can’t have authority over whatever.” Why? “Because we say so.” Well why are we listening to the people who ran up a £1.3 trillion debt, presided over the largest theft in the history of humanity, engaged in an illegal war by lying to the public and murdering whistleblowers? Why are we respecting a thing these bastards say?

  82. chalks
    Ignored
    says:

    If you think the tories do not want to retain Scotland then you are off your head.

    The fact that they are coming up here much more frequently is because they are worried about losing us, NOT because they want to lose us.

    I’ve said before, Darling will be sacked soon. If he isn’t then the Tories will be up here two times a month until the referendum.

    They do not want to lose Scotland. There is no joint statement coming out, there is no conspiracy theory about the tories wanting to see the back of Scotland.

    They regard themselves as British, Britain is stronger with Scotland in it, as we are loyal serf’s to them and their redundant imperialist tendencies.

    They use us. They don’t want that to end. Why would they? Osbourne coming out so hard, was intended to try and quell the rising ‘dissent’ up here towards Westminster, not stoke the fire.

    It has backfired, the Cabinet meeting up here is to announce a series of tax breaks for oil companies to get the £200 billion that Ian Wood was on about in his recent report…..seriously folks, I’d stop thinking the tories want rid of us, it’s a dangerous mind-set to get in.

  83. The Rough Bounds
    Ignored
    says:

    David Bowie? His surname is an anglicisation of the Gaelic word Buidhe. It means yellow.

    He didn’t turn up to the awards ceremony to make his appeal to the Scots, but asked a female model to deliver it for him.

    Yellow seems apt.



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