01/09/2014 Scotland 2014

Tonight - have Better Together got the jitters?

Alistair Darling tells us he is nervous about a Yes vote.

Alistair Darling has been leading the Better Together campaign

And it hasn't always looked like fun as he campaigns for

But does he think it will have been worth it?

Tonight he talks to us about how he thinks the result

of the referendum might be very close and why he is proud of the way

And, if you haven't registered to vote yet, you still have

But we've discovered some possible problems with process.

So many new voters are trying to sign up that

the numbers are causing pandemonium at the registration centres.

Less than three weeks to go until the big vote and both Yes

and No campaigns are stepping up their activity.

Better Together unveiled a new poster campaign today that

claims voting NO is the best way for voters to demonstrate their love for

They are hoping that this campaign wont get quite as much criticism as

their campaign broadcast last week featuring an undecided female voter.

Last week was not a great one for Alistair Darling. Later, he gave it

lacklustre performance in the BBC TV debate with Alex Salmond. On

Tuesday, Better Together's election broadcast, the woman who made up of

mind, was lambasted for being action Housing and sexist. Have you made a

decision? I was like, it's too early to be discussing politics. On

Wednesday, he had to share a Better Together platform with Gordon

Brown, the two men had a difficult relationship in government and not

much of one since. Today, Alistair Darling was in Greenock, urging

those who haven't yet voted to do so before tomorrow. If we vote to

leave, it is irreversible. I want people to say no thanks to the risks

and instead build a stronger, better Scotland within the strength of the

UK. The polls do still favour a no vote but in the week of time in

politics, 18 days could be a very long time indeed.

Earlier I spoke to Alistair Darling and I asked him

if he is feeling nervous about the result of the referendum?

I've always said it will be closer than people think and we will be

closer than people think and this is the biggest decision most of us will

ever take in our lifetime and it's not surprising people are still

agonising over how going to vote. A lot of people have decided but there

are still a lot of undecided. It's going to be a very tight race, right

down to the wire and we will be fighting every day until polls

close. Yes campaigners have been putting a lot of emphasis on what

will happen to the Scottish NHS if there is no vote. You accept that if

spending on the NHS goes down in England, the amount of money will

come down here as well? What the Scottish Parliament chooses to spend

on any one part of its budget, health or education, is up to it, it

can spend more or less. The brick manager on the health service

increased during the 13 years of our government. It is duty increase in

the next three years. When you look at with the Nationalists said in

their manifesto in 2011, they said they protected the NHS because it

was devolved. You can't have it both ways. Some of the scare stories we

have seen, alleging operations have been cancelled because of

privatisation, it turns out that story was untrue. Scotland and the

Scottish Parliament has total control over the health budget and

from 2016, if it wants to spend more, it will have the power to

raise additional taxes. Alex Salmond is doing the truth when he says if

spending on the NHS were to go down in England, Scotland would get less

money in the block grant. If spending decreased, but it's not,

it's increasing. Throughout the UK, doesn't matter whether you're north

and south of the border, there is an affinity and closeness to the NHS

that frankly transcends political parties. Even Mrs Thatcher in the

1980s took one look at doing more privatisation and being a politician

to the caller said, I will have nothing to do with that. Even if you

take the charges for prescriptions south of the border, that hasn't

affected the amount of money Scotland gets. Until recently, the

NHS, the Nationalists never mentioned it, only recently they

have been trying to play this because the are not winning the big

economic arguments, on currency, public services. So I don't buy this

argument, look at what they have set themselves. They have said they will

protect the spending because it is 100% devolved. George Osborne does

have ?25 billion worth of spending cuts up his sleeve that are to come,

that will have an impact. From 2016, it will be open to the Scottish

Parliament, David wants to do so, because it is obliged to fix a rate

of income tax, it will have the power to borrow next year, if it

felt it wanted to do more on the health service or anything else, and

rightly it would have greater power and responsibility, this power

doesn't exist now, it is on the statute book, it comes into force in

two years. Somehow the argument that they can't do anything about it is

simply not true but health service spending, under our government, has

been increasing and it is due to continue to increase because there

is not a political party in Britain that will go into an election

saying, we're not going to spend more on health. You are also a

Labour MP and labour across the UK are campaigning on the damage the

Tory and Liberal Democrat government are doing to the NHS and the welfare

state. You will be fighting hard to try and get rid of the Tories in

2015. You can understand why people in Scotland are tempted to think, we

need never have another Tory government if we vote yes. In a

democracy, you sometimes find the party you vote for didn't win, I

didn't vote for Alex Salmond, David Cameron or Nick Clegg. But the Scots

needn't be stuck with them. Which you will be stuck with is a

government we know who's going to face additional spending pressure,

?6 billion, over and above austerity. It is asked Eric T plus,

if you like. You would be very dependent on the notoriously

volatile North Sea oil prices. Lastly, the equivalent of the entire

schools budget was lost because we'll production was lower than

otherwise. You are taking on a whole bunch of new risks and because you

are taking the burden on the shoulder of less people, the risk of

making greater cuts is greater. The ISS reckoned ?6 billion worth of

cuts or tax rises will come our way because of the additional costs that

will come with independence. People say, if you vote for me, milk and

honey will flow, people don't believe that. It simply isn't

credible. Douglas Carswell, who has defected to UKIP, his timing doesn't

suit you well, because it shows you the direction of travel south of the

border, David Cameron missing and in-out referendum, Scots who want to

stay in the EU might think the only way they can guarantee that is to

vote yes in September? If we leave the UK, we will have to reapply to

get into the European Union at a time when things are likely to be

difficult. Any one of 28 states can veto your application. If you look

at surveys of public opinion throughout the whole of the UK, it's

not that much different north of the border, and the majority of the

people in the rest of the UK don't want to leave Europe. There is a

schism in the Tory party, I will not weep too many tears for them,

frankly, this schism has been with them since John Major's time, they

have to live with that. But I think the majority of people in the UK and

in Scotland recognise that working together, being part of something

bigger, is hugely beneficial in terms of jobs and cost of living. If

the Tories have got their problems, I will leave that for someone else

to sort it. There is no guarantee that the country will vote to stay

in the EE, Scots may find themselves injected. I don't think that will

happen. Yes, there is clearly a deep-seated schism in the Tory

party, but if you could all the recent surveys I have seen, a lot of

people want to stay in the European Union. Of course they want reform, I

can see areas that need reforming, everybody knows that but I think a

majority of people in the country recognised that one of the reasons

we have burns from abroad coming to Scotland is because we are part of

the UK, and affirms coming to the UK because we are part of Europe. One

Tory MP isn't go to change that. An internationally renowned economist

was talking in Edinburgh last week and thought the rejection of a

currency union was a bluff and he is the only one. A lot of prominent

economists say they think you are bluffing. If you look at the

currency union, suppose it was on the table, it would be bad for

Scotland because the Scottish budget would have to be approved by our

bigger next-door neighbour, the other member of the currency union.

That's what happens in the Eurozone. Parliaments don't matter any more,

the budget have to be sent to the European Commission. They can make

changes. If I was a nationalist, I would say, that isn't independence,

it's almost a colonial existence. One of Alex Salmond 's former chiefs

of staff said that it would be decided by a foreign Treasury. If

you look at the rest of the UK's point of view, they would be

standing behind a Scottish financial services sector, they wouldn't

regulate it. It may not be your preferred option but even a majority

of Scottish voters think it is likely to happen. More of them think

they would be a currency union after a yes vote than don't think so. I

think it won't happen because it won't work. Remember this, for a

currency union to work where you have two members, it then two sides

need to agree to it. Public opinion south of the border is pretty much

against it. There is a lot of talking tough Scotland about

accepting these to rumble of the Scottish people, rightly so. But

then it has to be right that the rest of UK is entitled to its

sovereign will. Never mind the politics, it's the economics, when

you bear in mind that a lot of nationalists don't actually think it

will work, a couple of weeks ago, Alex Salmond, and his chief gimmick

adviser said we might end up like Panama for perhaps six months. --

economic adviser. What sort of world would be living where we have no

idea how much money is worth, it's not good enough to say he has a plan

B, here we are, two and a half weeks before polling, people are already

voting with postal votes, we do not know what currency we would have.

You have promised additional powers, more devolution if there is

a no vote. Last week when he returned to create more job creation

schemes, your answer wasn't as clear as it might have been. The point I

was making, the biggest single thing that benefits us in tonnes of jobs

is that most Scottish firms and businesses depend on the rest of the

UK as our market. We sell more to the rest of the UK, particularly

England, then to the rest of the world put together. In the financial

services industry, food and trick, you name it. It really needs that

market. The compelling argument for me, for people thinking, what about

my job and my children's jobs, these jobs depend upon the rest of the UK.

Yes, there are other things being devolved, in terms of my party's

proposals, in tones of the work programme, but the big thing we have

to keep in the front of our minds is being part of UK mean to be a part

of the single market with no barriers and no boundaries, nothing

between us and job opportunities in the future. That is the big picture

we can't lose. At the end of the day, people deciding how the voting

will think, what about my children, grandchildren, why on earth cut

ourselves off from that? It matters to people what further devolved

powers they will be because there are people who will vote no if they

think they will be more devolution who might be tinted to vote yes if

they think the status quo will persist. Can you name any devolved

powers? Housing benefit, additional powers in relation to taxation, the

parties have been clear about that. That's only two so far. What we have

so far coming down the line is the responsibility to fix the income tax

rate, the power over land tax, stamp duty and the power to borrow. They

are on the statute book, on top of that the three non-nationalist

parties would further put forward proposals in relation to further tax

raising powers, power to have a more progressive top rate of tax, that's

what we want to do, in racial and to welfare reform and housing benefit

and the jobs programme that we, in addition to devolving that, we

wanted further devolved to cities and towns. There are substantial

more powers promised in the pipeline legislated for and powers promised

by the other parties. I recognise people want the best of both worlds,

they don't want to choose between complete break-up and independents

and the status quo. Change is coming whatever we vote for. Do you think

Scotland could be an independent successful country? Yes, but less

than if we were part of the UK, for the reasons I set out, jobs,

opportunities, a million jobs in Scotland one way or another are

connected to the fact we are part of the UK. I report it and Edinburgh

constituency, many of my constituents work for the banks,

they couldn't survive if they didn't have that market because 90% of what

they sell those south of the border. This is a big issue as far as people

are concerned. The motion comes into it as well, but I have always said

that emotion cuts both ways. We are all motion all about our country and

what is to happen to our future, of course we are, but the big economic

arguments are important. Could you have made a more positive case for

the union? I have been making a positive case since 2012. But it is

different from an election campaign. The nationalists, having won the

election in 2011, they said that they wanted to argue the case. They

are putting the proposition. No one is going to stop me from arguing my

case. Your advert last week was criticised for being patronising and

sexist. Did you see it? Yes, and also a lot of women saw it before it

went out who did not think that. And everything that the woman says in

the party political broadcast, word for word, it comes from what people

have said to us on the campaign trail. She does not seem to know the

name of the First Minister, she calls him that bloke off the telly.

Some people do not know his name. What we're trying to get across is

that some people, even to have weeks left to go, I still agonising -- are

still agonising over what to do. People are looking at the arguments

on both sides. Frankly, I do not think there is anything wrong with

saying that you have got somebody who is going through that process.

She is seeing no thanks to all of these risks and additional costs.

Lots of people saw it and inevitably, I cannot think of any

party political broadcast that people remember that has not had

some element of controversy. It makes people think and act as a good

thing. If there is an Yes Cammack -- if there is a No vote, what you

think will happen? Some people are saying they never want a referendum

again. This is two and a half years or be have not been discussing how

to improve things like health and education. I hope that we will have

a decisive vote, so that we can get on and discuss the things that we

need to discuss. Thank you very much.

I will be speaking to Alex Salmond on tomorrow night's show.

Many people who have never voted before in their lives are expected

to take part in the referendum later this month.

Unprecedented numbers have been adding themselves to

As both sides in the campaign are urging anyone

who hasn't yet registered to vote to do so before it's too late -

But we've uncovered some problems at the registration centres,

caused by this massive surge in electoral interest, with some

offices admitting to a huge backlog of registrations and describing

Our political correspondent Lucy Adams reports.

More than 4 million people have already signed up, but the deadline

is looming for those who still have not registered. There is just 24

hours to go for those still needing to register in the September's

referendum. Local registration centres say that in the past week

alone may have received tens of thousands of applications, and that

the situation for them is unprecedented. Soon, every household

in Scotland will receive an impartial guide to voting in the

referendum through the door... There has been a hard sell to registering.

Edinburgh had 30,000 in the past couple of months. Some councils said

they had backlogs to clear. At one centre today there was a steady

stream of people registering. How busy would you say it was inside? It

was busy when I went in. I tried to phone and could not get through.

Been on the phone to the South Lanarkshire office a few days ago.

By the tiny farms out and back, we thought we would miss it. -- by the

time they got the letters out and back. I came back with my sister to

hand housing as well to make sure. It is really good to make sure -- to

see that everybody in Scotland is saying, this really counts, let us

go and let our voices be heard. We think it has rained about 10% to 13%

of potential electors not on the role. But we had been working hard

to make sure that those who are not currently registered and wish to

register can do so. We have been talking to colleagues throughout

Scotland, officers are very busy making sure that anybody who has

applied can be on the electoral roll for the 18th of September. We

contacted 15 local registration officers. They say that staff are

working extremely hard to cope with the surge in demand, but for some it

has meant pandemonium. We spoke to for voters who have received no

response and no polling card displayed registering to vote weeks

ago. Two of them work at the BBC. Glasgow pulled one voter who had

already posted therefore twice that they could not confirm if they had

already received it. When we spoke to Glasgow City Council they

said... As of August the 1st ever nearly 4.2 million people registered

to vote and many with postal votes. The question is, well everybody who

wants to vote be able to do so? We invited the chief accounting

officer in foreign interview. She was unavailable, but sent us a

statement which said. "All offices have planned their

processes and resources accordingly to handle the increase

in inquiries as we approach Everyone who submits

a valid application to the register by the deadline will be

able to vote in the referendum." Now, let's have a look

at the rest of the day's news. Joining me now,

from the Yes Scotland messaging team, is Angus Miller, and

Women Together?s Alison Dowling. Thank you for joining me. An

interesting bit of news tonight is that there will be a new YouGov poll

tomorrow. The Sun newspaper as saying that there are just six

points between the two camps. Now is at 53% and the yes campaigners at

47. Does it have you worried, Alison? This close to the vote, you

would expect the lead is too narrow. It does demonstrate that the no vote

and still ahead, the majority of Scottish voters are still rejecting

independence. However, that is not to say that we are complacent at

all. We will be campaigning right up to the wire for every single vote,

to press forward that now is a No vote for the future of Scotland, it

is best for our children and families. If we look at the most

recent poll of polls, not including Best YouGov Paul, it has yes on 44%.

That will not be enough to do it, will it? The momentum is definitely

with the Yes campaign. This is an incredibly positive poll for the Yes

campaign. The YouGov Paul has usually been the lowest in terms of

registering yes votes. It is showing that we are neck and neck. We have a

couple of weeks to continue pressing the case. More and more people are

waking up to the incredible opportunities that we have with

independence. That is why more and more people are saying yes. Better

together are still pressing their case. They unveiled a new poster

campaign today. They are claiming, I love Scotland so I am saying no

thanks, I love my kids so I am seeing now thanks, I love my family.

You have to admit, they are always criticising the mac -- been

criticised for negativity. This is a positive campaign. The implication

is, I love my family so I am positive campaign. The implication

is, I love my family so porting now, therefore I hate my family so I am

voting yes. It does not really follow. It is just the latest

disaster from the No campaign. Many now campaigners, especially women,

found it quite patronising and negative. There is this quite

weird, slightly awkward poster campaign which I do not think

presents a positive reason to vote no. Yes campaign posters are more

based on a positive reason to vote yes. How do you think this campaign

will change things? No one is claiming that however you vote you

love your family more or less. What the positive poster campaign is

doing as it is pointing it result of this implication, will have

implications for us and our grandchildren. We are voting no to 6

billion extra cuts that we will have to sign to our public services that

our children will have to suffer. No to the job losses that we are going

to risk. But it is positive. I would like to make the point that before

the Yes campaign explodes in a frenzy of it the nation -- of

indignation, people I've been subjected to accusations of being

anti-Scottish, even so far as ex-SNP MSP -- MS people air saying that if

you vote no you are a bad parent. Some people are worried that there

might be a bit of trouble when it comes to polling day. Police

Scotland has said that it is irresponsible to use inflammatory

and exaggerated language. Is that what No have in doing? I do not

agree with that. Anybody who has been involved in the public campaign

will agree that there is far too much heat which has been generated.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to conduct campaigns and

peaceful environment. Organised crowds are turning up, facilitated

through local yes organisations. Thank you very much. I hope you will

join us again tomorrow. A sick child 300 miles away from his

parents, who are tonight behind bars. How do the legal and medical

procedures across Europe get to this,