:00:00. > :00:12.Both sides in the independence referendum make their final
:00:13. > :00:29.People are so excited about the prospect of having Scotland's's
:00:30. > :00:39.future in Scotland's hands. We are reporting now because we love
:00:40. > :00:45.We're live around the country as Scots prepare for the biggest
:00:46. > :00:57.Thousands of polling stations are being set up across Scotland. Many
:00:58. > :01:01.people will vote for the first time. The number of people in work
:01:02. > :01:29.in Scotland reaches a record high. The campaign is over and in just
:01:30. > :01:36.over 12 hours time people will answer the question, should Scotland
:01:37. > :01:41.be an independent country? The campaigners have been out in force
:01:42. > :01:57.across the country. Here is our Political Editor. Final hours before
:01:58. > :02:05.the people decide. These people see independence
:02:06. > :02:08.empowers the population. Activists say the campaign itself has
:02:09. > :02:16.energised people. Everybody has come together. They are gathering all
:02:17. > :02:23.over the country talking about this. Nothing will ever be the same after
:02:24. > :02:31.that. It is incredible. We will all miss each other. We will miss the
:02:32. > :02:36.campaign. It has brought ordinarily non-political Scottish people
:02:37. > :02:42.together and motivated them. We feel as if we have the opportunity for a
:02:43. > :02:47.participated in a democracy. Campaigners urge people to sign up
:02:48. > :02:58.for independence. And canvassing the coming generation the deputy
:02:59. > :03:01.argued. It has been an empowering campaign. I have never known a time
:03:02. > :03:09.when people are so interested in politics. There is a real sense of
:03:10. > :03:12.optimism and opportunity. People are realistic. They understand
:03:13. > :03:18.independence is not a magic wand, but increasingly they know that if
:03:19. > :03:22.they fought yes they take control of the powers that we need in Scotland
:03:23. > :03:36.to make things better for the next generation. -- vote yes. Supporters
:03:37. > :03:43.of the union gather for a Better Together rally. They insist they are
:03:44. > :03:48.quiet majority. I have spoken to friends for the first time in my 70
:03:49. > :03:55.years I have a poster on my window. I would never have dreamt of doing
:03:56. > :04:03.that. I have been an expat unit for 25 years. Thank goodness I am home
:04:04. > :04:08.now. It is sad to think that in the next general election we will not
:04:09. > :04:14.get the same percentage of voters. It has been terrific. It is
:04:15. > :04:19.wonderful. Onstage Gordon Brown sees Scotland can have a more powerful
:04:20. > :04:26.parliament in the UK able to protect the NHS. He says those who are not
:04:27. > :04:34.-- those who are and decided should vote No. Have confidence to see we
:04:35. > :04:40.have had no answers. They do not know what they are doing. They are
:04:41. > :04:48.leading us into a trap. Have confidence and say to our friends,
:04:49. > :04:54.for reasons of solidarity, sharing, justice, played in Scotland, the
:04:55. > :05:07.only answer for Scotland's's seek and for Scotland's future is full
:05:08. > :05:13.No. The campaign has been intense. Both campaign teams say it is about
:05:14. > :05:18.the future. Which future? It is your choice.
:05:19. > :05:22.Brian, the final day of campaigning is drawing to a close, but rallies
:05:23. > :05:43.Rallies tonight. Energy and activity. And there has been the
:05:44. > :05:51.quiet discourse of people in their homes and workplaces. Quietly making
:05:52. > :05:56.up their minds. I guess by this stage, the 4.3 million people who
:05:57. > :06:04.are registered to vote, most will have come to a conclusion. The pitch
:06:05. > :06:09.today from the two camps is to say have the confidence to go with your
:06:10. > :06:13.belief. They guess campaign is saying if you believe in a better
:06:14. > :06:26.Scotland, go with independence. The other side is seeing if you have
:06:27. > :06:30.doubts then you have two vote No. -- the Yes campaign.
:06:31. > :06:38.What is your view on where the country stands now?
:06:39. > :06:42.Both sides are offering a positive perspective. The independence
:06:43. > :06:46.campaign says they can build a more prosperous and just society. On the
:06:47. > :06:53.other hand, the argument that Scotland is better placed within the
:06:54. > :06:59.UK. But equally they both have a negative pitch. This is a big choice
:07:00. > :07:01.for the people of Scotland. On the one hand the prounion camp says
:07:02. > :07:06.there are questions on the currency and the economy that have not been
:07:07. > :07:11.answered. The other side says they have all stopped the Yes campaign
:07:12. > :07:18.says the offer of more powers is not sustainable given the degree of
:07:19. > :07:21.opposition from Tory backbenchers. There are two positives and two
:07:22. > :07:32.negatives projecting forward these arguments.
:07:33. > :07:35.The people of Scotland will deliver a verdict which resonate far louder
:07:36. > :07:38.than any make a verdict which resonate far louder than any
:07:39. > :07:49.microphone or megaphone. We will hear more from Brian later.
:07:50. > :07:55.Local activists have been out and about trying to persuade last-minute
:07:56. > :08:02.voters. One century ago this brought the
:08:03. > :08:08.people together in opposition to Westminster imposed taxes. Today it
:08:09. > :08:12.could split them apart. At the statute Better Together supporters
:08:13. > :08:15.seek to persuade voters in this little community that the best way
:08:16. > :08:19.forward is with the union. We are asking people if they had made up
:08:20. > :08:24.their minds. There are still a lot of people who are undecided. There
:08:25. > :08:30.is one day to go. Any information or help we can give is worthwhile. It
:08:31. > :08:39.is a big decision. There is no going back. Around the corner a rival
:08:40. > :08:44.campaign targets potential yes supporters. They see the response
:08:45. > :08:47.has been positive with many of those who have stopped displaying a thirst
:08:48. > :08:54.for answers in thing reassured it says about the future has been their
:08:55. > :09:01.purpose for days. Most of the people we have stopped
:09:02. > :09:17.have said they are voting Yes. There has been the odd person shouting No.
:09:18. > :09:27.Down the road that has been an early start to get this plain spot. This
:09:28. > :09:34.is the rule vote being targeted. I am doing this because I have six
:09:35. > :09:37.grandchildren. I am very worried about their future. I would not made
:09:38. > :09:47.independence for Scotland, but not this way. I am making serious plans
:09:48. > :09:51.to move if they Yes campaign wins. Both sides say the campaigns locally
:09:52. > :10:00.have been good-natured. Despite the Pool A whether Yes campaign
:10:01. > :10:13.supporters say it has been positive. Pars despite the bad weather. We ran
:10:14. > :10:27.out of four bags of badgers and posters. These have been the real
:10:28. > :10:31.grassroots campaigns. Local campaigners quietly trying to
:10:32. > :10:37.persuade their neighbours to vote Yes No. We will find out the impact
:10:38. > :10:42.on Friday morning. Of course Scotland already has
:10:43. > :10:45.its own parliament at Holyrood If people vote for independence,
:10:46. > :10:48.then it will gain full control over But if there's a No vote,
:10:49. > :10:52.then more powers are still likely to Let's cross to Holyrood now and join
:10:53. > :10:55.our referendum correspondent, Laura Bicker, who's been following
:10:56. > :11:10.this campaign around the country. This is it. It is the final few
:11:11. > :11:15.hours of the referendum campaign. I am joined by two men who have lived
:11:16. > :11:22.and breathed it as much as I have for the last few months. Dennis
:11:23. > :11:30.Canavan and Jim Murphy. A lot of people are undecided. Even a lot of
:11:31. > :11:36.no voters have felt that the Better Together campaign has been negative.
:11:37. > :11:47.Both sides of this argument wants what is best for the nation. What is
:11:48. > :11:54.best for people, businesses. We are part of something bigger. It is
:11:55. > :12:06.different from a nationalistic argument. We are better staying
:12:07. > :12:13.together. That argument has come quite late on. Nine days before the
:12:14. > :12:17.referendum. Some people had already cast their postal vote and you came
:12:18. > :12:26.out with a timetable. It is accelerated evolution. We are only
:12:27. > :12:34.12 hours away. We do not know which currency we would use in an
:12:35. > :12:38.independent Scotland. Alex Salmond cannot tell us what currency we
:12:39. > :12:44.would use. There are only 12 hours to go. A lot of people who have
:12:45. > :12:52.given a Yes campaign the benefit of the doubt, those people have looked
:12:53. > :12:56.again and said, they were thinking of voting for it, but neither is a
:12:57. > :12:59.prospect of it happening, they want to know who will pay for the
:13:00. > :13:10.pensions, what currency shall be used. Jim Murphy's big problem is
:13:11. > :13:16.that this campaign has got a huge good ability problem. People simply
:13:17. > :13:21.do not believe all the stuff that has come out at the last minute
:13:22. > :13:28.about additional powers. It sounds like something that has been written
:13:29. > :13:35.on the back of a cigarette packet. If there is uncertainty about
:13:36. > :13:41.currency perhaps that is because Westminster politicians, your party
:13:42. > :13:47.leader, has claimed into bed with the Tories and the Lib Dems, to gang
:13:48. > :13:51.up against the First Minister of Scotland, who wants to have a
:13:52. > :13:56.currency union, which would be in the interest of Scotland as well as
:13:57. > :14:02.the UK. It is no wonder that more and more Labour voters are now
:14:03. > :14:07.deciding to vote Yes tomorrow. 42% in their most recent poll I have
:14:08. > :14:10.seen. Dennis caravan does have a point.
:14:11. > :14:17.Does that mean that Labour may be in trouble?
:14:18. > :14:30.# Wrote Dennis Canavan. That does not make me a Tory. Labour voters
:14:31. > :14:37.now. All politicians are temporally. Tomorrow's decision is forever.
:14:38. > :14:44.There is no going back. Do we really want to leave the British Army, Navy
:14:45. > :14:48.and Air Force? Separate wealthier? A separate passport? A lot of people
:14:49. > :14:56.who love the country look at the nuts and bolts and they have said,
:14:57. > :15:07.no banks. Jim Murphy is going over old ground. You are going back over
:15:08. > :15:20.old ground. There would have to be a separate army. Pensions, for
:15:21. > :15:31.example. Hang on. The UK Government. Dennis Canavan, Jim Murphy. Just
:15:32. > :15:40.hang on a second. Jim Murphy, hang on a second. Dennis Canavan. I will
:15:41. > :15:47.be leading the negotiations. You must get this into your head. This
:15:48. > :15:55.is not an SNP campaign. If you stop talking then you can both be heard.
:15:56. > :16:00.This is not a campaign to make Alex Salmond the great reader of
:16:01. > :16:05.Scotland. This is not asking people to vote Alex Salmond. This is not
:16:06. > :16:10.the fault for the SNP. It is a vote to give the people of Scotland the
:16:11. > :16:18.right to choose their own Government. There is a democratic
:16:19. > :16:22.deficit at present. You have got a situation whereby there is only one
:16:23. > :16:27.out of 59 parliamentary constituencies that has a Tory MP
:16:28. > :16:33.and yet that is a Tory MP and yet that is for that Government to foist
:16:34. > :16:37.upon us policies which we do not want, such as the bedroom tax. You
:16:38. > :16:55.are quite happy with that. Conservatives and David Cameron I
:16:56. > :17:00.want rid of the Tories and David Cameron. Even Alex Salmond is
:17:01. > :17:05.temporary. All of these people are gone. Independence is forever. The
:17:06. > :17:10.Yes campaign has not been able to answer those big questions about
:17:11. > :17:16.currency, and tax. We have a guarantee of more power, without the
:17:17. > :17:20.enormous risk and enormous uncertainty of breaking away from
:17:21. > :17:25.the United Kingdom. David Cameron is temporary. We can get rid of him
:17:26. > :17:30.next year, and have a Labour government inside the United Kingdom
:17:31. > :17:36.with a more powerful Scotland. I will believe it when I see it. Quite
:17:37. > :17:47.frankly, new Labour has let Scotland down. We have got nuclear weapons,
:17:48. > :17:55.we have got the bedroom tax... We are tight for a time. Let him speak.
:17:56. > :17:59.The people of Scotland have got a wonderful opportunity to build a
:18:00. > :18:02.better Scotland. Yes, a more prosperous Scotland but also a
:18:03. > :18:06.fairer Scotland and a Scotland that will pay its full part in the
:18:07. > :18:14.international community to build a better world. Stop shouting. I am
:18:15. > :18:21.going to leave it there. And going to leave it there. They are going to
:18:22. > :18:28.be continuing for some time to come. We are going to attempt a
:18:29. > :18:35.comeback to use Bill stop -- you any next half an hour. If we have
:18:36. > :18:39.learned one thing is that shouting over one another will not work. It
:18:40. > :18:41.is a passionate debate. We'll have more from Laura,
:18:42. > :18:45.later in the programme. Now, this campaign took on new
:18:46. > :18:48.impetus ten days ago thanks to an opinion poll which appeared to show
:18:49. > :18:51.the Yes campaign had taken the lead. Since then, the two sides
:18:52. > :18:55.have been neck and neck. I'm joined by Professor John Curtice
:18:56. > :19:15.of Strathclyde University who's What do the polls say tonight? We
:19:16. > :19:20.had three last week, which all put the Yes campaign on 48%. This
:19:21. > :19:25.afternoon, we had a ball from a company which hitherto has been
:19:26. > :19:28.rather favourable to the Yes campaign. Rather disappointing for
:19:29. > :19:40.the Yes campaign. RTE present for the Yes campaign, 52% for the No
:19:41. > :19:46.campaign. Not so long ago, another company which had the yes side at
:19:47. > :19:51.42% are now saying that the Yes campaign are on 49%, now on 51%.
:19:52. > :19:59.They are saying that the race is even coarser than we thought. On the
:20:00. > :20:03.one hand, encouragement for now. Encouragement for the Yes campaign,
:20:04. > :20:07.because the lead recorded by these opinions polls is too small for
:20:08. > :20:12.anybody to be certain what the result is actually going to be in
:20:13. > :20:18.little more than 24 hours time. Does opinion polling matter? Will voters
:20:19. > :20:23.make up their minds at the last moment or change their mind at the
:20:24. > :20:27.last moment? First of all, we know that the polls of the last fortnight
:20:28. > :20:31.have changed the campaign, not least the degree to which the banks and
:20:32. > :20:37.the businessmen and the No campaign have been talking about the alleged
:20:38. > :20:41.affect of independence on the economy. This is countered by the
:20:42. > :20:45.Yes campaign. The second thing we can anticipate is that now voters
:20:46. > :20:50.know this is a vote which matters, and is a vote which is close, the
:20:51. > :20:54.prospect for a high turnout are likely to be even greater, because
:20:55. > :20:58.very people in Scotland will be unaware that it could well be the
:20:59. > :21:05.case that their own fault will matter. Could the opinion polls have
:21:06. > :21:12.got it completely wrong? The good will get it wrong. Given how close
:21:13. > :21:15.they all are, we certainly can't discount the possibility of the Yes
:21:16. > :21:20.campaign winning. There are concerns about whether the opinion polls have
:21:21. > :21:23.asked enough people who don't normally vote, so they may be
:21:24. > :21:28.underestimating support for the Yes campaign. They also think that
:21:29. > :21:33.perhaps people who are going to vote for the No campaign may not be able
:21:34. > :21:36.to admit that. We can't be sure that the opinion polls will prove
:21:37. > :21:40.anything at the end of the day. We must leave that there. Thank you.
:21:41. > :21:42.You're watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC.
:21:43. > :21:47.Still to come on tonight's programme.
:21:48. > :21:53.Thousands of polling stations are being set up across Scotland, all
:21:54. > :21:56.gearing up to deal with more than 4 million people registered to vote
:21:57. > :22:01.tomorrow. Many of them will be voting for the first time. We will
:22:02. > :22:06.be live at the polling station to explain the process. And after the
:22:07. > :22:09.electronic debacle of the Holyrood election seven years ago, machines
:22:10. > :22:17.are back, but with humans firmly in control.
:22:18. > :22:23.A record number of people are now in work in Scotland, and more than 3000
:22:24. > :22:26.fewer are claiming unemployment benefit. Our correspondent has been
:22:27. > :22:35.meeting some of those who have found a new job. 45,000 people in Scotland
:22:36. > :22:39.enjoyed the sweet taste of success by finding a job between May and
:22:40. > :22:45.June. Alexis was one of them. She has an apprenticeship and she thinks
:22:46. > :22:49.she is one of the lucky ones. It was good, timing wise. I was leaving
:22:50. > :22:55.school, and I was bit straight into a job. It is daunting, but I am
:22:56. > :22:59.learning a lot. To date's figures show that the number of people on
:23:00. > :23:04.jobseeker's allowance in Scotland was down by 3200. A Scottish
:23:05. > :23:09.employment rate between May and July was down to 6%. That is slightly
:23:10. > :23:18.below the UK average rate, which fell to 6.2% in the same period.
:23:19. > :23:22.Lauren is only three weeks into her new job, and she knows only too well
:23:23. > :23:26.that going through dozens of applications is tough work. It has
:23:27. > :23:31.been a bit difficult, but I think we have been quite lucky with it. I
:23:32. > :23:33.have done a lot of research, and I have done a lot of different
:23:34. > :23:37.interviews, and I have known what I wanted and what companies to
:23:38. > :23:41.target, and I have discovered and done my best. More people who were
:23:42. > :23:45.unemployed have been finding jobs over the summer, but we have also
:23:46. > :23:50.seen another group of people get work. There has also been an
:23:51. > :23:53.increase in participation, in other words, people who weren't looking
:23:54. > :23:58.for work before are now looking for work and have found. This is good
:23:59. > :24:02.news. Also the unemployment rate in the UK in Scotland is well below
:24:03. > :24:05.many other countries in the EU, so this is a positive development. Lots
:24:06. > :24:10.of people have been getting jobs in all different sectors of the
:24:11. > :24:16.economy. The question is, will be be taking on permanently or is this a
:24:17. > :24:21.temporary boost? We are keen to expand and grow, keen to be the best
:24:22. > :24:25.place to work, and the best place to buy, and I'm sure that if we do that
:24:26. > :24:28.we will continue to grow and be successful. Those still looking for
:24:29. > :24:32.work across the country will be hoping that the exhilaration in
:24:33. > :24:36.employment continues. -- acceleration.
:24:37. > :24:39.Police in West Lothian are treating an attack on a pensioner in
:24:40. > :24:43.The 65-year-old was repeatedly stabbed in the house in Bathgate
:24:44. > :24:44.in the early hours of yesterday morning.
:24:45. > :24:47.Detectives want to hear from anyone who may have any information
:24:48. > :24:54.about what they're describing as a cowardly and brutal attack.
:24:55. > :25:00.In particular, we are keen to speak to and identified two men who we
:25:01. > :25:07.believe may have been seen together in the area around three M on
:25:08. > :25:11.Tuesday. They are described as male, white, both around five or ten in
:25:12. > :25:15.height. Average build. Believed to be Scottish. Aged 20 to 40 years
:25:16. > :25:16.old. Thick fog and poor visibility have
:25:17. > :25:19.prevented investigators from moving the wreckage of a helicopter which
:25:20. > :25:21.took off from West Lothian yesterday The two men on board were killed
:25:22. > :25:26.when the private aircraft came An air accident investigation team
:25:27. > :25:30.at the site has been unable to examine the wreckage because
:25:31. > :25:36.of the weather conditions. Let's get the latest sport now
:25:37. > :25:41.from Rhona. Stephen Gallacher says he wants to
:25:42. > :25:45.soak up as much information as possible from former Ryder cup
:25:46. > :25:49.players ahead of travelling to Gallacher is preparing for his first
:25:50. > :25:53.Ryder Cup by taking part at the And it seems he couldn't
:25:54. > :25:59.have picked a better venue. From Celtic Manor here's
:26:00. > :26:15.our golf reporter Phil Goodlad. It may have the look of a normal
:26:16. > :26:20.event, even a normal tour venue, but it is anything but. In a sport which
:26:21. > :26:24.values its history, Celtic Manor stands out. Four years ago, Captain
:26:25. > :26:31.Monty led Europe to a famous victory here. A source of inspiration, head
:26:32. > :26:36.of Gleneagles. I ever watching. It looks brilliant. I can't wait.
:26:37. > :26:41.Stephen Gallacher is here with his team-mates, surrounded by former
:26:42. > :26:45.Ryder Cup players. Just as well, given his thirst for knowledge. We
:26:46. > :26:49.are going for dinner tonight, and I know there will be dinner is asked.
:26:50. > :26:53.I will go for a copy with Paul Murray, and economic asked these
:26:54. > :26:57.guys and get their opinion. You can't replicate the pressure you
:26:58. > :27:03.will be under. It is just a case of being ready for it. The Ryder Cup
:27:04. > :27:06.standout for another reason. Not the best time for the Americans to find
:27:07. > :27:14.out that there are water probes were not waterproof. Surely nothing
:27:15. > :27:18.similar will happen next week. Lincoln always go wrong. Never say
:27:19. > :27:29.never, but I would like to think we have minimised the chances of that.
:27:30. > :27:35.It is the Ben -- venue for a spot of fine-tuning. A week today, the
:27:36. > :27:41.golfing world will be at Gleneagles. Scotland's woman footballer is now
:27:42. > :27:45.face a play-off to reach the World Cup next year in Canada. Needing to
:27:46. > :27:50.win 31 or better to qualify, they conceded a goal inside the first ten
:27:51. > :27:58.minutes, and things could have been even worse, but for a fine save from
:27:59. > :28:02.their captain. Sweden did get a second goal late on, a fine finish,
:28:03. > :28:03.which wrapped up the victory for the group winners.
:28:04. > :28:06.The Celtic assistant manager John Collins says the club's ambitions
:28:07. > :28:09.in Europe must now be to target the Europa League final next May.
:28:10. > :28:11.After failing to qualify for the Champions League,
:28:12. > :28:14.Celtic have flown to Austria to begin their Europa League campaign.
:28:15. > :28:17.They take on Salzburg tomorrow evening,
:28:18. > :28:28.The top two progress to the knockout phase.
:28:29. > :28:34.Obviously, if you ask me, I would like to get to the final and win it.
:28:35. > :28:36.The players would give you the same answer. That is what we will try and
:28:37. > :28:40.do. We will give it our best shot. Rangers earned themselves a third
:28:41. > :28:43.round League Cup trip to Falkirk on Tuesday, thanks to their 1-0 defeat
:28:44. > :28:46.of Inverness at Ibrox last night. The only goal of the game came
:28:47. > :28:48.from Rangers' highly-rated With just 12 minutes left -
:28:49. > :28:54.a deflection off defender Josh Meekings helped the shot past
:28:55. > :28:57.Dean Brill in the Inverness goal. Scotland's David Millar has been
:28:58. > :29:05.asked to captain Team GB at the World Road Race Championships
:29:06. > :29:09.later this month. It's a nine-man team
:29:10. > :29:11.which includes the Tour de France It's an honour bestowed on Millar
:29:12. > :29:15.as he will be leading the team in his last outing before he retires
:29:16. > :29:18.at the end of the season. His final Scotland appearance was
:29:19. > :29:50.at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. cloudy first some, but a clear
:29:51. > :29:56.contrast between the West and the East. The cloud lingered, and there
:29:57. > :30:02.were much cooler conditions here. Eight fair amount of cloud, and the
:30:03. > :30:06.mist and fog readily reforming and slowly working its way further
:30:07. > :30:10.westwards. Some patchy drizzle at times. Some see fog developing, and
:30:11. > :30:16.all of those factors combined mean it is certainly not a cold night.
:30:17. > :30:21.Temperatures of 10 Celsius to 14 Celsius. A cloudy start to the day.
:30:22. > :30:25.Extensive mist and fog, slowly lifting across western part of the
:30:26. > :30:32.country. Taking a while to clear in the East. Not clearing in the east
:30:33. > :30:37.at all in some parts. Sunshine by the afternoon, and warm sunshine at
:30:38. > :30:41.that. 22 Celsius in Ayrshire. Cooler weather is cloud and mist and fog,
:30:42. > :30:48.and also some drizzle over the hills. Across the Highlands and
:30:49. > :30:53.Islands, cloudy but to dry. 20 Celsius in the North. For the
:30:54. > :31:01.Northern arts -- for the Northern Isles, it is a dry day. Across the
:31:02. > :31:06.eastern parts, extensive mist. Looking ahead towards Friday, and
:31:07. > :31:09.the arrival of a cold front means eight change in wind direction,
:31:10. > :31:13.which will get rid of the mist and low cloud, although it does start
:31:14. > :31:16.that way, and as we head to two of the afternoon, some outbreaks of
:31:17. > :31:22.rain will slowly work their way south eastwards. A touch cooler. 19
:31:23. > :31:26.Celsius. Looking ahead towards the weekend, high pressure starts to
:31:27. > :31:29.build and once again from the Atlantic, and that means cooler,
:31:30. > :31:33.fresher conditions than we have seen, and clear conditions across
:31:34. > :31:37.the East Coast, with some sunshine, and Sunday is looking recently dry
:31:38. > :31:38.and bright with reasonable spells of sunshine. With high pressure in
:31:39. > :31:44.charge, it is staying dry. Polling stations will open all over
:31:45. > :31:46.Scotland The turnout is expected to be
:31:47. > :31:51.a record high, perhaps more that 80% of the
:31:52. > :31:54.electorate, and thousands of people Local authorities around
:31:55. > :31:59.the country have been setting up Our reporter Cameron Buttle is
:32:00. > :32:05.at one tonight in the Scottish Borders - he's in
:32:06. > :32:22.the village of Bowden near Melrose. This is what it has all been leading
:32:23. > :32:27.two. Sports centres, schools, village halls. They are dealing up
:32:28. > :32:31.to deal with the more than 4 million people who are registered to vote
:32:32. > :32:37.tomorrow. This is a huge logistical exercise. In the Borders 95,000
:32:38. > :32:41.people are registered to vote. Many of them will vote for the first
:32:42. > :32:52.time. What should you expect if you come into the polling station?
:32:53. > :32:56.The easiest way to find your polling station is to look on the front of
:32:57. > :33:00.your polling card. You do not actually need your polling card or
:33:01. > :33:17.any identification. But it does make the process easier. Then you will
:33:18. > :33:22.get your ballot paper. There is no political party or candidate to
:33:23. > :33:29.choose. Just one question. Should Scotland be an independent country?
:33:30. > :33:37.You take your ballot paper over to the polling booth. You put your
:33:38. > :33:55.cross or your tech, you folded up, and put it in the box. Bat or your
:33:56. > :34:05.tick, you fold it up. No photography is allowed in the
:34:06. > :34:11.polling station. The advice is not to leave it until
:34:12. > :34:19.the last minute. Only those who were inside the polling station at 10pm
:34:20. > :34:28.will be allowed to vote. Do not be scared. Come along.
:34:29. > :34:31.Businesses large and small have been watching this debate closely. The
:34:32. > :34:33.decision Scotland makes will affect the currency and taxation system
:34:34. > :34:36.they operate in, as well as the markets they sell to. In recent
:34:37. > :34:43.weeks, we've seen big hitters intervene on both sides, some
:34:44. > :34:46.warning of the risks, some talking of the opportunities. We've been
:34:47. > :34:48.hearing from two business leaders with very different views. Laura
:34:49. > :34:52.Maxwell has more. Sir Brian Soutar - one of Scotland's
:34:53. > :35:00.leading businessmen, and one of the Yes Campaign's biggest supporters.
:35:01. > :35:06.His company, Stagecoach, carries two and a half million passengers a day
:35:07. > :35:16.across the UK. It also has operations in North America.
:35:17. > :35:19.The business is neutral in this referendum. Mr Soutar, an SNP donor,
:35:20. > :35:35.The only way to get the powers we need is to vote Yes. If we just have
:35:36. > :35:56.the confidence it would be a triumph of aspiration and hope over fear.
:35:57. > :36:02.This company has had its headquarters in Glasgow for over a
:36:03. > :36:06.century. A Yes vote could change that. It would not be fair to bring
:36:07. > :36:18.people in when there is uncertainty about the business climate. There
:36:19. > :36:25.will be a potential period of a couple of years when we will be
:36:26. > :36:29.negotiating terms. Whether they are offshore or on the High Street
:36:30. > :36:34.companies large and small have been wearing at the impact of the vote.
:36:35. > :36:43.Accusations of scaremongering have been made by both sides. The
:36:44. > :36:49.risk-takers see that we think Yes is a big opportunity for business in
:36:50. > :36:54.Scotland. For people who are wondering who to listen to, you need
:36:55. > :36:57.to look at the credentials. The difference with as is that we are
:36:58. > :37:04.putting our money where our mouth is. From the Highlands to the
:37:05. > :37:12.Borders, from the gas industry, to the food industry, this is about a
:37:13. > :37:16.consistent concern over the consequences of moving towards an
:37:17. > :37:21.independent Scotland from people that have created tens of thousands
:37:22. > :37:26.of jobs. Whatever the outcome on Friday both sides of this debate are
:37:27. > :37:35.united on one thing. That is that Scotland must remain open for
:37:36. > :37:42.business. Let us go back to Holyrood.
:37:43. > :37:48.You have been looking back at what you have seen and heard in Scotland
:37:49. > :37:53.on the campaign trail. They are singing outside Holyrood at
:37:54. > :37:58.the moment. This has been a lively, noisy, and at times passionate
:37:59. > :38:03.debate, as we saw Elliott. Here are some of the moments from the last
:38:04. > :38:10.few months. The referendum saw the return of
:38:11. > :38:18.people in politics. Meetings were held in halls throughout the
:38:19. > :38:26.country. A chance to hear questions. It was clear from the start that Yes
:38:27. > :38:34.Scotland had recruited an army. A grassroots movement that just kept
:38:35. > :38:38.on growing. Because there are so many people out
:38:39. > :38:52.canvassing the entire area of Easterhouse is covered.
:38:53. > :39:00.Better Together had technology. That household was strongly against
:39:01. > :39:05.independence. They took time to grasp hold of a grassroots
:39:06. > :39:09.campaign. It developed gradually. As both sides needed the arguments we
:39:10. > :39:15.travelled the country to find out how people were voting at what they
:39:16. > :39:17.were thinking. Doing it by car seemed to
:39:18. > :39:45.conventional. neighbours. It will be a decision
:39:46. > :39:53.for us. Everyone has their own opinion. Meanwhile big Yes campaign
:39:54. > :40:11.turned their attention to those who do not usually thought. I have never
:40:12. > :40:17.voted. -- who do not usually vote. We could not resist asking
:40:18. > :40:23.youngsters. I would let Scotland have a free entry to the World Cup.
:40:24. > :40:31.It has been a remarkable referendum with passion on both sides. My
:40:32. > :40:39.grandfather was in the British Army. He might have been any Scottish
:40:40. > :40:44.regiment. Something has happened in Scotland. Some may wish to forget
:40:45. > :40:54.it. For others, being part of it has changed their lives. It is time to
:40:55. > :40:58.where the kilt. The outcome is only hours away. Whatever the result
:40:59. > :41:10.politics in this country may never be the same again.
:41:11. > :41:17.It has been an incredible few months of this campaign. I turn once again
:41:18. > :41:27.to two men at the centre of this campaign. Shouting does not mean you
:41:28. > :41:37.are winning. I will start with Jim Murphy. You went around the country.
:41:38. > :41:43.That was a bit of a grassroots campaign, but initially it did
:41:44. > :41:50.struggle. Is it a matter of regret to wait that long to get
:41:51. > :41:58.door-to-door? I had one Hundred St meetings across 100 towns. It was
:41:59. > :42:07.just myself, my microphone and whoever turned up. I enjoyed most of
:42:08. > :42:15.the campaign. People said if you've voted No you are a traitor. But was
:42:16. > :42:19.on the edges. But was unfortunate. But generally I have enjoyed the
:42:20. > :42:23.campaign. It has been passionate. I am proud of the way that they
:42:24. > :42:28.involve thousands of people, particularly young people in
:42:29. > :42:33.politics for the first time. Tomorrow I think most people will
:42:34. > :42:38.vote No. Let us deal with the issue brought up by Jim Murphy.
:42:39. > :42:45.Intimidation. It has been on both sides. The man next to you had an
:42:46. > :42:58.egg thrown at him. I deplore the throwing of eggs or any other
:42:59. > :43:04.missiles. In the Yes Scotland campaign at the very outset we aimed
:43:05. > :43:09.to set up the most comprehensive and the most successful grassroots
:43:10. > :43:17.community based campaign Scotland has ever seen. We had 300 groups of
:43:18. > :43:24.community activists. From the Northern Isles right down to the
:43:25. > :43:31.Borders. We have trained people who are maybe not doing public speaking,
:43:32. > :43:36.but they are knocking on doors and making phone calls. But there is a
:43:37. > :43:44.dearth of foot soldiers within your campaign, Jim Murphy. The biggest
:43:45. > :43:48.group that I have seen has been the influx of the 100 or so Labour MPs
:43:49. > :43:54.who were told on a three line whip to come up from Westminster and to
:43:55. > :44:10.try and convert the Scots into voting No. In my constituency we had
:44:11. > :44:24.120 volunteers. Every political campaign in his study has the odd
:44:25. > :44:33.idiot. You cannot control everyone. Dennis Canavan, let me speak. Ed
:44:34. > :44:37.Miliband came to Scotland. His meeting had to be cut short. That is
:44:38. > :44:43.not acceptable. I do not care about people throwing eggs. But there has
:44:44. > :44:51.been orchestrated intimidation across the country. It has not
:44:52. > :44:56.happened on both sides. You can deliver as many leaflets as you
:44:57. > :45:06.want, but when you cannot tell us what currency you will use, it is a
:45:07. > :45:10.waste of paper. On Friday you will waken up to the realisation after a
:45:11. > :45:13.guest thought that you will need to get into serious discussions instead
:45:14. > :45:20.of trying to blast the people of Scotland. You will lead to quite out
:45:21. > :45:33.of bed with the Tories. We are a very short on time. And so this. On
:45:34. > :45:40.Friday morning after a guest thought will you see that the currency union
:45:41. > :45:50.will be in the best interests of Scotland and the UK? -- after a Yes
:45:51. > :45:56.vote. That will not happen. On Friday morning this building behind
:45:57. > :46:01.us will have more power if you vote No. Change is coming. Status quo is
:46:02. > :46:07.not on the ballot paper. I love my country. The majority of Scots do
:46:08. > :46:19.not want separation. Gentlemen, thank you. Vote No tomorrow. That is
:46:20. > :46:26.the only guarantee of more powers. I will try and end the conversation.
:46:27. > :46:31.This is just a sample of how the debate has been across Scotland. Now
:46:32. > :46:33.it is up to you. Go to the polling station to the polling station
:46:34. > :46:43.tomorrow and put your cross in the box.
:46:44. > :46:44.After a long and the mentis campaign local authorities will be hoping for
:46:45. > :46:49.a calmer counting process. Safeguards were put in place
:46:50. > :46:51.after the debacle of electronic counting in the
:46:52. > :46:53.Holyrood election seven years ago. This time, machines are back but
:46:54. > :46:56.in a very limited role, Here's our science correspondent,
:46:57. > :47:13.Kenneth Macdonald. In terms of postal votes, we have
:47:14. > :47:17.got 790,000 postal voters and almost all of them will return their votes,
:47:18. > :47:23.so it is a very large number of postal boards. Those postal votes
:47:24. > :47:28.will be the first to be counted. I have voted. I am not telling you how
:47:29. > :47:32.I voted. Before this would get counted, it has to be verified that
:47:33. > :47:38.it was actually me that voted, so what I have to do is sign in this
:47:39. > :47:45.box here. The reason it is any box is it is not a question of so much
:47:46. > :47:50.who checks my ballot paper as what. It will be a machine, comparing the
:47:51. > :47:54.signature on the envelope with the one you gave if you apply for a
:47:55. > :48:01.postal vote. Mentioning machines and voting in the same breath might
:48:02. > :48:09.bring back some unpleasant memories. It could be 100,000 rejected ballot
:48:10. > :48:18.papers across Scotland. In the end, it was more than 140,000. 7% of the
:48:19. > :48:21.machines rejected votes. That will not be happening this time. For a
:48:22. > :48:26.start, your vote will be counted like this, I be with people, by
:48:27. > :48:30.hand, and when it comes to checking your signature, it will not be the
:48:31. > :48:34.computer was medicine to reject it. The computer can accept the
:48:35. > :48:40.signatures, and if there is any doubt at all, it will throw it out,
:48:41. > :48:43.but not rejected. That is only so that there can be human intervention
:48:44. > :48:48.at that stage. Perhaps surprisingly, there will not be the same signature
:48:49. > :48:54.recognition software at every count. Each of Scotland's 32 areas
:48:55. > :48:58.has been free which to choose. There are a number of suppliers, and I
:48:59. > :49:02.think three or four main suppliers of the software, but it all does the
:49:03. > :49:06.same job, and all of the people you're using these machines have had
:49:07. > :49:10.training from the forensic science authorities to ensure that they
:49:11. > :49:15.understand signature recognition. If you are choosing jurors are
:49:16. > :49:17.sufficiently similar, and you got your date of birth right, your vote
:49:18. > :49:20.will count. Both sides are rallying
:49:21. > :49:23.their campaigners tonight. The first Minister will be in Perth,
:49:24. > :49:40.where we can join The Better Together Campaign is in
:49:41. > :49:45.Edinburgh, where we join our correspondent now. A big rally for
:49:46. > :49:50.the No campaign is taking place here in the form of a gate. It is called
:49:51. > :49:56.big show for now, and it will get underway in just about ten minutes
:49:57. > :50:00.time. It will be kicked off by the comedian Rory Bremner, who is with
:50:01. > :50:09.me now. What will you be saying? I wasn't expecting to be saying --
:50:10. > :50:13.doing this. I saw Tony Benn speak here, he was a passionate speaker
:50:14. > :50:19.and I looked up what he had to say about Scottish independence, and he
:50:20. > :50:22.said, my mother was Scottish, and if you told my mother one morning that
:50:23. > :50:30.she was a foreigner, she would have been very upset. You had been
:50:31. > :50:35.speaking about being passionate about being part of the union. What
:50:36. > :50:39.are the mood been like for you? It has been fantastic. I was born here
:50:40. > :50:44.and raised here, and spent one third of my life here, and the atmosphere
:50:45. > :50:48.is exciting. People are talking everywhere, some people still making
:50:49. > :50:51.up their minds. All I know is what swung it for me was the knowledge
:50:52. > :50:58.that if we get a no vote on Friday morning, we will still have a
:50:59. > :51:09.currency and be a member of the European Union. If we vote yes, we
:51:10. > :51:12.will have some uncertainty. Do you think there is time to change
:51:13. > :51:18.people's minds? There is always time. It is extraordinary, this
:51:19. > :51:21.campaign. Have you ever thought that Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and
:51:22. > :51:28.George Galloway would be on the same side? Bill Clinton and George
:51:29. > :51:32.Galloway are in bed together. What does that tell you? Whatever the
:51:33. > :51:38.result, we have to come together after this. I'm doing this, because
:51:39. > :51:41.I believe in the United Kingdom, it fosters our athletes, and funds our
:51:42. > :51:48.businesses, and represents us throughout the world. I believe that
:51:49. > :51:52.Scotland is stronger inside the union, and that is what I have to
:51:53. > :51:58.say tonight. Thank you for your time. You can see there are all
:51:59. > :52:04.sorts of flags behind us. There is a rally on behalf of the Yes campaign
:52:05. > :52:14.going on tonight, all ahead of the polls opening in a viewers. Thank
:52:15. > :52:20.you, Lisa. Now we had to Perth. Our correspondent is with Yes Scotland.
:52:21. > :52:23.What is the mood there tonight? Well, there is really quite an
:52:24. > :52:27.upbeat atmosphere here, as I'm sure you can hear. There is a pipe going
:52:28. > :52:31.behind me, and people have been turning up for the last hour with
:52:32. > :52:37.some enormous salt tyres and massive flags. There had been babies in
:52:38. > :52:40.prams, little kids with balloons. There is a real party atmosphere
:52:41. > :52:45.here tonight, and the reason they are here at the constant all in
:52:46. > :52:49.Perth is because it is here, a little later, that Alex Salmond will
:52:50. > :52:52.be making his final speech of the campaign. He will be addressing
:52:53. > :52:57.supporters here, thanking them for all the work they have done, and
:52:58. > :53:01.talking about the grassroots campaign that we have heard so much
:53:02. > :53:06.about already. Something that the Yes campaign are very proud of. They
:53:07. > :53:09.say that the community led campaign on the ground has really been
:53:10. > :53:13.phenomenal, and Alex Salmond will be talking more about that later, but
:53:14. > :53:19.for now, let's talk to somebody who has been part of that campaign, a
:53:20. > :53:27.very well known Scottish face. Here she is. Elaine, you have been out
:53:28. > :53:32.and about as part of this campaign. What has it felt like? Glorious.
:53:33. > :53:37.Wonderful. It is something I never thought I would see in my lifetime.
:53:38. > :53:42.A lot of it, in spite of the Yes campaign, if you like. Most of the
:53:43. > :53:47.things I have done have not been organised by official people. It has
:53:48. > :53:54.all been done by normal people, people having meetings in their
:53:55. > :53:58.communities. It is like a flowering, a thousand blossoms, and that is
:53:59. > :54:05.what it feels like. What kind of reaction are you getting? We have
:54:06. > :54:10.heard this campaign has been all about getting Labour voters to vote
:54:11. > :54:19.yes? Initially, at the start, this has been over two years, a lot of
:54:20. > :54:22.anger and apathy, a lot of frustration, and not believing that
:54:23. > :54:26.there could be any difference, and I think that is what I have found the
:54:27. > :54:30.most upsetting, that somewhere people had started to believe
:54:31. > :54:37.nothing better was possible. I think what this has done, it is about real
:54:38. > :54:42.hope and change and optimism, and for me, if we win, it will be the
:54:43. > :54:46.people of all the communities that have made the big difference, and
:54:47. > :54:51.they have exactly the same power, exactly the same fault as any big
:54:52. > :54:59.business. Have you enjoyed it? It has been fun. I don't think I would
:55:00. > :55:02.ever want to be a politician. As an actor, you want everyone to get on
:55:03. > :55:07.together, and everyone to have a good time. When you are met with
:55:08. > :55:13.aggression or the rough and humble of politics, I find that quite
:55:14. > :55:16.difficult. It has been fun, and a wonderful experience. I am glad I
:55:17. > :55:24.have lived long enough to see it. Thank you. I will let you go,
:55:25. > :55:36.because you are in the warm up act here tonight. I am injured oozing
:55:37. > :55:37.Nicola. -- I am introducing Nicola. The speech expected here later on
:55:38. > :55:45.tonight. Banks. In less than 12 hours,
:55:46. > :55:49.polling stations across Scotland will open and voters will decide
:55:50. > :55:53.Scotland's political future. Brian Taylor, our political editor
:55:54. > :55:55.has been following the twists Let's get his thoughts
:55:56. > :55:59.on where we stand tonight. Brian, this has been
:56:00. > :56:16.an enthralling contest. It has been incredible. I have never
:56:17. > :56:20.seen such political engagement, and it is political engagement. I know
:56:21. > :56:25.people say they are bored with politics, and they don't want to
:56:26. > :56:29.turn up for a general election, but none the less they are turning out
:56:30. > :56:32.for this one. They are hugely engaged, and why would they not be?
:56:33. > :56:38.It is about the future of the country. There is a constitutional
:56:39. > :56:43.choice about whether or not we should be an independent country.
:56:44. > :56:48.Then you have, beyond that, you have heard in the interviews tonight, not
:56:49. > :56:53.least that discussion, you have heard the argument about the nature
:56:54. > :56:57.of the Scotland that good insular, either on independence or under the
:56:58. > :57:06.option of remaining within the union. You had that 20 big going on
:57:07. > :57:13.at the same time. And whatever the result, it is not over yet. It is
:57:14. > :57:21.not. If it is a yes vote there would be a minimum of 18 months of
:57:22. > :57:27.negotiations. If it is a no vote, then you have the proposal from the
:57:28. > :57:30.various parties to enhance the powers of the Scottish parliament,
:57:31. > :57:38.you have a debate to go on about that. Whoever wins, of course, to
:57:39. > :57:42.morrow, will be delighted. Whoever loses, will be depressed and
:57:43. > :57:51.downcast. I simply hope that people will respect the outcome and respect
:57:52. > :57:55.each other. That is the big challenge, isn't it? Bringing people
:57:56. > :57:58.together. The General Assembly was once known as Scotland's Parliament
:57:59. > :58:07.in absentia. Many thanks, Brian. I'll be back with the headlines
:58:08. > :58:13.at 8.00pm and the late bulletin Until then, from everyone on
:58:14. > :58:22.the team, have a very good evening.