Episode 1 Mibbes Aye, Mibbes Naw

I'm back at the top of the hour with a full bulletin. Announce a

programme looking at both sides of the Scottish referendum debate.

Across Scotland we've all been wrestling with a big decision.

There's no escaping September 18th and the campaign for our votes. I

can't stand it. Oh, dear. For the last four months, our cameras have

been in homes across Scotland, big and small, in town and in the

country, and if things have been heated round your dinner table, you

can take comfort ` you're not the only ones. I'm British. I was born

British. You were born in Scotland. I was born British. You were born in

Scotland though, you're Scottish. Join us for the story of the summer,

as real Scots ponder: Independence ` yes or no. That's it, let's get

voting. Our cameras have spent the last four

months in the homes of voters. From castles to council flats, we've

followed Scots from wealthy and poorer backgrounds.

A few have always known how they'll vote, but most started the campaign

with an open mind. Over the next three weeks, we'll see how they make

this momentous decision and we've given them some home work ` campaign

highlights to wile away the nights. Begin with a Burns' Night video

still doing the round on social media in spring. Not long after my

family emigrated to America in the mid`70s, we were invited to be the

special guests of a Burns supper in South Dakota... Before he was the

star of the Opening Ceremony, John Barrowman recorded this video for

Better Together. Oh, dear. Oh, no. Oh, it's John. The thought of being

surrounded by fellow Scots celebrating in an evening of revelry

and that doesn't mean fish and trips and list tong Billy Connelly, it was

worth the trip from Chicago. It doesn't matter where you go, you'll

always be known as a Scot. Where are you from? Glasgow. We are a people

of big ideas and big ambitions. We carry them with us wherever we go. I

think Burns would have embraced the notion of being an international

Scot, like me. His point is it's about being eclectic Eclectic? What

does that mean? All together? Pretty much, yeah. Right that's it. Does

this end. I can't, I can't. Where' ere you be, link your arms, let's

honour the barred and stand `` bard and stand together and let us not

like snarling curs and wrangling speed divided. That doesn't make me

want to vote yes or not, it's just nice words. Exactly. You can link

arms with people. It's like say figure we become independent we

can't embrace anybody else? That's just nonsense. I don't think it's

that. That's what he's saying. It's the opportunity to link arms, well,

the opportunity doesn't disappear. Cheers.

Without sounding too dramatic, this debate is about all our futures,

even baby Oliver's. We've been together two`and`a`half years. We're

getting married. In 2016, September. It's a long celebration, it will all

be good. These two are planning for a wedding in two years' time. That's

not the only union on Mark's mind. Is there any possibility that you

might move from a no to a yes? No, definitely not. Not for me any way.

100%, no. I'll stick to that till the voting. I don't really know. If

someone came at me with a great argument, I feel I'm open to be

persuaded. So mums and dads feel the

responsibility of this decision wherever they are. I want our

children to be part of a Scotland that is ambitious and profitable and

I want them to have the opportunity in their working life to be

somewhere where they can have everything they need and want to

have. Our children, like everyone else, it's the future, it's the next

generation to come on. It's an important to make that decision on

their behalf really. Danny and his wife Allison run a farm. It's more

of a way of life than a job. Atta boy. I feel lucky to be involved in

farming. I'm the fourth generation. It's a great way of life. Spring on

the farm is still a busy time, but Danny and Allison know they have

months to make up their minds about September. I'm definitely undecided.

Being on the farm, you get so involved in the farming from night

till dawn that you don't actually read enough, I don't watch enough

even of the telly, to be fair. In the next few months I have to make a

determined effort to read and listen a wee bit better, because I don't

know enough about it. There's no doubt about it. What I want to be

clear on is what's the aspiration? Where do we want Scotland to be in

10, 20, 30 years time both from Better Together and the 'Yes'

campaign. That will sell it to me, rather than an answer to absolutely

every detail. I want a vision. There's a little bit of everything

Scotland has to offer on Aaron. Let's be honest, what's on offer is

quite often torrential rain. Just because family has come `` Jessica's

family is here to mark her 21st birthday. It's time for Jessica's

mum, a passionate yes, and her ex`soldier brother Billy, a

determined no, who can persuade Jessica to side with them. I need to

know why you're saying yeah. Why are you saying no. Why do you think?

Because you're patriotic. There you go. There's being patriotic and how

your life will be affected. I can be part of Britain and be a proud

Scott. We're not though, we're a forgotten nation. I don't see how

we're deemed as forgotten. They wouldn't be fighting so hard to keep

us as part of a union. We are always last in the weather. Torrential

rain, no, but torrential rain in England, but we could be 25 degrees

up here. Andy Murray won Wimbledon so he's British, so if he lost he

would be Scottish. I do agree with that. Andy Murray the Scott lost.

You say you're moving then. I am British, I was born British You were

born in Scotland. I'm British. You were born in Scotland, so you're

Scottish. It's these petty arguments. It's not petty. If

someone says... There should be a someone says... There should be a

Scottish That's another thing passport. . You're born British, am

I back in Britain or backing a question mark? That's what it comes

down to. We know what's going to happen if we stay. We go on as we

are. If we go independent, there's a lot of questions. You don't take a

risk because you don't know? Not with something like that Even though

it could be a benefit? That's what I say when a cross a railway track `

think I'll make it. Correct. You're playing with your life and

livelihood and financial If we vote status. Yes we are all going to be

murdered in our beds. I wouldn't say that. You could be killed crossing a

level crossing illegally is higher than voting for independence. More

home work for our voters. John Barrowman isn't the only star

getting in on the campaign. Lady GaGa did too. Or at least, I think

it was her. No, no, no, no. No, no, no, I'm voting no. No, no, no, no.

Are you going to sing along? It looks freezing. Do you think she's

part of the official SNP campaign? She could be. She's behaving like

the rest of them any way. You're singing? Are you voting no?

He's voting no as well. # I'm voting no

# Just say no, baby # Self` determination is crazy

# Just say no, baby # Self` determination is crazy

# Just say no, baby # Self` determination is crazy

# Just say no # Self` determination's crazy... It

didn't take long for some of our voters to work out this wasn't Lady

GaGa, but it took a while for the penny to drop that the video's

message was pro`independence. What is that word? To try and... They

tell you to do something, but they really want you to do something

else. I don't know. Reverse psychology. Yes! I thought that was

like that. Saying vote no, vote no, telling us to vote yes. When you

listen to some of her words, she was like, why make your own choice when

we can let like the Parliament do it for us. Wait that's reverse

psychology! I'm Sean, I'm 29 years old and I'm

from Dundee originally. I've been in Glasgow for seven or eight years. I

work as a hairdresser. I love my job. It's creative, fun, exciting.

For Sean, this refer dumb is important. It's so important that

he's registered to vote for the first time. This is my first year

I've actually been on the roll thing. So I've never been bothered

before. I've never signed up for it. Obviously, things come through the

post and stuff like that, but I've never really been ` I just wouldn't

know who to vote for. I wouldn't have a clue who to vote for because

I don't know who they are, what they do or anything like that. Just not

that fussed about it. What, so far, has made its way through to you

about what is happening in September? What do you understand

you're doing in September? We're voting to say if Scotland are going

to be independent or not. That's about all I know. So Sean's probably

not the only Scot who knows he has to make a decision, but doesn't know

where to start, but he knows one thing about politics or politicians

any way. I think `` I don't know what they're saying. It's all

confusing. I prefer listening to people I know and people in the

salon. When I speak to them, I hear more about that and that sways my

opinion rather than the Government. I just think it's confusing when

they start their debates. Sean does have a source

of information We can't do any worse,

I think we can only do better, we have 300 years to make up

for having English rule. You never know really, though we

have heard before, we don't know. Scottish independence all

the way for you? That's you then,

make your way home. Having your own business is a worry,

will your business still be Will people still come

into the country? Your husband has a lot

of business down south as well,. You might think that a lot

of companies might not want to work with him now

because they think there might not be

enough money in Scotland. I'm still trying to work

out how it will pan out. I will have to choose at the end,

I still don't know who I will choose, but hopefully in a couple

of months I will know. Then it will be it,

let's get voting. Don't worry,

we will be there when Sean does make Now for a real change of scene, who

would live in a house like this? It's a castle really,

every castle needs its Laird. My name is Simon,

you can best describe me as a modern Laird, I live in a castle

in Ayrshire, which has been owned We have a lot of connections

to history to put it politely. We were cousins with

William Wallace, we were at every major battle

in Scotland on one side or the other, one of my ancestors caught

the head of the Earl of Kilmarnock We have a lot of history but I

try not to be pompous about it. Simon isn't your stereotypical toff,

this is a Laird prepared to get I think people expect a lot more

toff and they get a lot more ripped jeans, most of the stereotypical

stuff you expect of a toff I don't I don't think it is a good idea

particularly for us to go One downside of living

at a castle is that there is always Today is a makeover for the

ancestral hall, a chance to uncover why Simon is so opposed to voting

'Yes' with his wife and best friend. Some of the people I have spoken to

said that after a 'Yes' they would get out of

the country as quickly as possible. Because of the uncertainty,

not necessarily because Scotland Nobody knows what will happen

if we get a 'Yes'. To get

a 'No' you know what will happen. My biggest bugbear is

from both sides, they can't predict a year ahead, how

can they predict 50 years ahead? I would rather stay where I am,

thank you. If we are going down the route

of Scotland having greater powers, then go down that route then at

least we will have the opportunity Do it slowly,

in small steps not one huge jump. No, you need to get to the bottom

of the cliff from the top of the Homework time again for our voters,

back in May, a visit by UK defence secretary Philip Hammond to Glasgow

was making the news. Thousands of defence jobs will be

at risk if Scotland votes for independence,

that is a warning Philip Hammond issued when he spoke to employees

at a firm in the Glasgow. The First Minister has insisted that

Royal Navy ships would still be built on the Clyde and jobs would be

secured through diversification. If Scotland is not inside the

United Kingdom, the United Kingdom cannot be expected to pay premium

prices to prop up its industry with none of the benefits of a sovereign

capability from the United Kingdom. He got a trade union backing

for being so open and bold, but one member

of this audience felt blackmailed. I feel aggrieved that you have come

up here to threaten that That is what a lot of people feel

in Scotland. It's not just going to

be defence jobs either. There's too many risks,

this is just it. 'No' votes have been threatening

Scotland with the loss of jobs, The SNP is trying to counter it ,

but there are no actual figures. Why do we have to

lose all this stuff? You know that old saying never

going to do this with a friend? You know that old saying never

go into business with a Well don't tell that to Frank

and Stuart, they run a boat out of Lerwick

harbour and go back a long way. I am Stuart, I run a charter boat,

I have lived in Shetland most I am Frank Miller,

I'm from the south, and proud of it, I came here when I was eight years

old when I met him. We bought this boat

and started this company. It has its own way of looking

at things, it is one of the areas that was least keen to

see a Scottish parliament. Frank is an incomer,

who moved here when he was eight, He would like to see

an independent Scotland and has tried to influence Stuart, but he is

having a hard time persuading I can understand Frank's point

of view, he has valid points The thing is though, Stuart,

every government, every Tory government has been against what the

people of Scotland has voted for. We have never voted for a Tory

government but that is what we have. Today, the boys are taking the boat

out for a spot of recreational We have come to a fishing ground,

trying fishing along this ridge. We are about four miles short

of Lerwick that is all. A beautiful day,

great day for fishing. The fish aren't cooperating

and Frank is I did tell you I was going

to show you how to do it. This little guy isn't

going to feed the crew. On the way home, fishing rivalries

are forgotten and the conversation If you feel Scotland could do better

on its own, that is how you vote. I am of the opinion that England is

the bit that hangs off I don't feel that Scotland really

is big enough or has the ability You would like a more equal

partnership with England? I would like to see a lot more

powers devolved to the Scottish parliament, if they would exercise

those powers with common sense. Again, you are back in the hands

of politicians, As the only undecided here,

Stuart is keeping his eyes Everybody has shared some side,

everybody speaks, it is interesting. I've known Frank since I was ten

years old, I won't try persuading him, we find common ground easily,

because I have known him so long. Stuart is keeping

his cards close to his chest. His best pal has a long way to go

if he's going to persuade him. I've never tried to persuade Stuart,

I never will. If he wants to listen to what I'm

saying that is fine. But I will never listen

to what he says. Next week on the programme,

Frank's attempt to convert Stewart I don't know, I don't think it's the

most sensible thing. We see another side to Sean

altogether. And will Jessica side with her

mum as a big day gets closer?