An honest debate? Not if both sides have something to hide

You know the drill by now it's the idependence referendum and both sides are baying for blood. Both sides keep on shouting down COME CLEAN to people as Unionist's question everything from how many pandas will be in Edinburgh Zoo post-independence?, To how many Subs will be in Scottish waters.

The Nationalists have their questions too as a No vote no longer appears to represent the Status Quo, indeed even David Cameron the head Unionist in this fight has come out with a promise of further devolution past the Scotland bill if the people say no. The problem has been no one in the No camp seems willing to discuss what Further devolution actually would mean and nationalists have been quick out the gate questioning this apparent double standard "no jam tomorrow", "if you have an offer for people spell it out before the vote".

We have a situation of both the kettle and the pot calling each other black. The real issues must be with the Yes camp's reluctance to publish any legal advice from EU membership to the pound sterling and the No camp's position as even papers on the original 1997-1999 devolution settlement are being withheld and being kept secret by government officials. Something many people are happily to relate to the Top Secret McCrone report on the revenues of Scotland had it been independent at the time of oil discovery which was only release on the 30 year rule.

With such secrecy on both sides its the average voters that are suffering how can any big decision be taken when both sides seem to be so illusive with hard facts. Time for both sides to stand up and do their jobs, give people the hard facts as they know them and trust that their own arguments have the power to hold up and have the electorate voting on their side. This is of course just my opinion but it's time to leave petty party politics behind and start to have an honest debate.

The Media war's: a Scottish / British battleground.

Another day, another shift in the debate on independence. This time a move in the accusation of Biased media. While many papers are un-ashamedly politically aligned, even the BBC has been accused of biased reporting by both sides. So what could today's twist be? Well the imfamous Rupert Murdoch has used his new twitter account to send the message "Let Scotland go". This is the man whose Scottish Sun, Scotland's biggest selling newspaper a published the "Vote SNP today and you put the noose round Scotland's neck." Back before the 2007 elections in which the nationalists came to power.


 Anyone who has turned on a tv or read a newspaper in the last year would have noticed that Murdoch and his media empire are suffer from many problems at the moment, from the accusation of monopoly with his attempt to buy a 100% stake in BSKYB, The phone hacking scandal and subsequent closure of that old British Institution that was The News of The World and more recently the criminal investigations and arrests of  Sun journalists.


With people on Both sides questioning just how much of a good thing such a controversial figure as Murdoch is for the Yes vote, one thing is for certain having the support from the head boss of what can be discribed as the biggest media empire in the Uk ,especially in a scene full of party-line labour and conservative papers can only shift the media war to a more even grounding. Indeed even as people spelt doom and a News of The World style death of the Sun, Murdoch pulled an ace out of his sleeve by announcing the Sun on Sunday. It seems Murdochs Empire even with a rather strong investigation and critisism from both Scottish and Uk governments may still have a fair bit of fight left in it. With some controversial figures coming down on both side of the debate now, The National Front's planned anti-SNP, anti-Independence march springs to mind or the British First campaign spearheaded by BNP members. Perhapse it's time to accept even the more questionable members of society. At the end of the day, If propaganda is the New weapon of war, then the enemy of my enemy must be my friend.

The support of Murdoch will be welcomed in time but most nationalists will know, if you're going to sup with the devil you had better have a long spoon.