01/09/2014 Scotland Decides

Both sides in the independence referendum campaign are urging

anyone who hasn't yet registered to vote, to do so before it's too late.

More than four million people here have already signed up.

And with a high turnout and possibly a close vote expected,

17 days to go until polling day. Some voters have already cast their

vote by post. You must have registered by midnight tomorrow to

be eligible. If you have registered or are going to apply for a postal

proxy vote, that has to be done by 5pm on Wednesday.

Go online, download the form, sign it and get it back to the

registration office. Spreading the independence message at a cafe

today, those seeking to find people to vote yes. We are making sure

people who may not yet have registered to register. So we're

trying to make sure we get as big a turnout as possible. It is very

important for us. The little young to vote this time but other newly

registered voters could swing it. We are trying to get across to

people this is probably the single biggest decision they will make in

their lifetime. That is why it is so important people registered to vote

and then vote. There is no going back. It is irreversible.

Some have already made up their minds and voted by post. Many more

will do so. These numbers will be updated next week. They are expected

to rise significantly. The Prime Minister David Cameron has

admitted that he is nervous about the result of the Scottish

referendum. Today I've been talking to

the leader of the Better Together campaign Alistair Darling `

and I started by asking him if HE was anxious that there might be a

Yes vote on the 18th of September. I have always said it will be closer

than people think and we will be fighting down to the wire. It is a

huge decision, the biggest decision most of those will ever take. It is

not surprising people are agonising over how to vote. It is going to be

a very tight race, right down to the wire. We will be fighting every day.

People will vote no but they might vote yes.

Additional powers in relation to taxation and housing benefit are

important. But we have coming down the line already is responsibility

to fix the income tax rate. We have power over land tax rates, stamp

duty `` stamp duty. The three nonnationals parties have further

proposals in relation to further tax raising powers. In relation to

housing benefit and welfare reform. Do you think Scotland could be a

successful independent country? Of course, but we will be less

successful than we would be if we are part of the UK, in terms of

jobs, opportunities. You can see more of that interview

at 10:30pm on BBC Two Scotland tonight.

The future of how immigration could work in an independent Scotland is

being discussed by both sides in the debate.

The Scottish government has proposed a more liberal immigration policy.

But Better Together has questioned how a different Scottish system

could work whilst sharing a border with the rest of the UK.

Andrew Kerr from the Sunday Politics in Scotland reports.

From the hills of Sydney to Hillhead, a brave move. Stepping out

into the world to open a cafe, still run by his grandson `` from the

hills of Italy. He got the money together and opened

the shop. The Italians were part of Scotland's story.

It is a good argument that immigration is a positive thing

economically and demographically. Migrants tend to be youngsters

economic growth. The older population require extra spending in

terms of pension, health care, social services. Originally, the

family here were strangers to this land, but they worked hard and

became fully integrated, part of the fabric of the city. That is the hope

many people who come to the shores, but not the reality, sadly. The

latest figures worry the UK government. Totalled 243,000.

Maintaining social cohesion, pressure on social services and

wages are the Conservatives's concerns.

It is exposed to critique from UKIP and anti`immigrant groups. One of

the mistakes made by the Conservative government is they have

responded by restricting access to welfare and health services. A very

different and more liberal ball `` more liberal plan for immigration, a

points `based system to keep students and attract skilled

workers. The policy could face these sorts of

hurdles. Would Scotland be able to attract that level of immigration?

If it were able to attract that level of immigration, would public

opinion be supportive of that knowledgeable approach? Would it be

able to pursue that liberal policy? At the cafe, the coffee is on, but

trouble is brewing over the numbers. They will have to get them from

outside Europe, and what does that mean? It means Africa and Asia.

It is a perfectly decent policy to argue for more immigration. They

should have the honesty to tell the truth.

He is a very nice man but he is a quintessential spin doctor. He is

stretching the argument. The Scottish Government is not

concealing anything. Most sensible people would know it is a bit of

nonsense. As the arguments boil over, it is

good people who were here in Scotland now who face tough choices

on how they want their communities to look and how they want them to

survive. The UK government's under occupancy

penalty, which critics call the bedroom tax, has proved

controversial. are no longer penalised. It's a

stark reminder of the anomalies of Scottish devolution being felt in

England. Now a man from Teesside his human rights. Mark Denten

reports. The level of pain, it is like

walking around with a washing machine strapped to your back.

Because he has a third bedroom, Peter has to pay ?1650 a year, ``

?650 a year. If you lived in Scotland who soon would not have

too. The to set a cap.

I am disgusted. It should go across the board. I am sure it has some

kind of human rights violation. It won't be a United Kingdom. Coalition

supporters say keeping the under occupancy is penalty in England but

not in Scotland is fair. It depends whether or not you believe in

devolution. The Scottish parliament will have to make choices. They have

to make a choice. The Department for work and pensions

spending spare room subsidy was necessary to keep the soaring

housing bill under control. And on Wednesday viewers in the

North East and Cumbria can see a special programme"Scotland and Us"

on BBC One at 10.25 pm.It looks at what would happen depending on the

outcome of the Scottish Referendum vote. You can get involved in the

debate on Twitter using the hash tag BBC Scotland and us.

Two well known political characters touring Scotland are proving to be

Socialists Tommy Sheridan and George Galloway are on separate

But both say they are reaching out to huge audiences

Our referendum correspondent Laura Bicker has been with both of them.

Tomorrow we will hear from George Galloway.

Tonight she reports from Tommy Sheridan's Hope over Fear tour.

A Friday night, and fundraisers making their way into a community

hall. Tommy Sheridan is greeted like a

hero, a celebrity, despite his recent spell in prison. Something in

his happy to joke about. I know a thing or two about being in

handcuffs. Part politician, part independent

salesman, this is his 71st public meeting. He hopes to do 100 before

September the 10th. Since 1951, our country has had to

Wenzhou 35 years of Tory government `` country has had to endure.

Some people appear not to be my greatest fans. That is fine. We can

still agree with the need for a yes vote but disagree in politics. That

is fine. Many in the hall were already passionate yes voters. Is

there is no denying his passion and belief in what he says. It came

right from here. It is a different class. They want to see this. There

were no voices that night to silence Tommy Sheridan. Instead a chorus of

approval. He denied he was preaching to the converted, there is no

denying he can still conman day room. `` he can still command a

room. No matter No matter which way the result goes

in Scotland's referendum, for Wales it's likely to have a significant

impact on the pace of devolution So what do Welsh voters make

of it all, are they engaged in it, and what are their thoughts on the

future? Our Wales correspondent which way some time at the political

heart of Wales, but not a place where visitors seemed to focus on

the future shape of British politics. Do you know what is

happening on September 18? No idea. No idea. There is a vote in the UK

somewhere? I don't know where. Where might the vote be taking place? I

don't know. Scotland? Got it. Some do have their sights set on

Scotland. This coach tour is leaving North Wales to explore some Scottish

history. So what do they think the next chapter should be? We asked

them to take part in their own vote. Would you want Scotland to be

independent or stay in the UK? One, two, three. This was not a

scientific poll, but the results are broadly in line with those which

have been carried out in Wales, which suggests two thirds of Welsh

adults want Scotland to stay in the UK. Thank you very much indeed. Next

stop Sterling, a place synonymous with battles for Scottish

independence. A city that celebrates those who carved out their own path.

Which direction Scotland should choose is of course entirely up to

the people of Scotland. But their decision is bound to have

repercussions across the rest of the UK. Whatever the vote, yes or no, it

will be followed by a shift in the balance of power. Amongst Welsh

voters, there is, it seems, an appetite for more devolution.

Control of income tax, maybe even policing, is already in the frame.

What about the prospect of an independent Wales? Show me your

flags. Research suggests fewer than 15% of people in Wales want it to be

fully independent. Stay with the UK, definitely. If we went independent

we would be totally lost, we would be out of it completely. We should

stay in the UK but have more power for general things, transport,

education, things like that. I think Wales should go independent. Again,

there are many countries in the EU that are smaller than Wales, and who

are doing quite well. Scotland's decision`making world drive forward

the devolution debate. What it means for Wales won't be clear until after

September the 18th. With just 17 days to go before Scotland decides,

let's look at the latest polls. A poll of polls suggest the no

campaign is on 56%, the yes campaign on 44%, according to an average of

half a dozen recent polls taken. Stay with BBC news for the latest on

the Scottish referendum. Tomorrow Gavin Esler is back on

the road,this time gauging the mood of the campaign in the

university town of St Andrews. And That's the latest from me. You are

watching BBC News, approaching ten to eight. In Pakistan, a day of

violent clashes in the capital Islamabad, as protesters continue to

press their cause for the Prime Minister to step down. At one point

they occupied the headquarters of the state broadcaster but were

eventually ousted by security forces. Our correspondence sent this