Twitter exchange reveals rivals’ views on self-rule
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THREE former rivals for the local Holyrood seat have been taking to the social networking site, Twitter, to talk about Scotland’s independence referendum.
The SNP’s Rob Gibson defeated Labour candidate John Mackay and Lib Dem representative Robbie Rowantree in the hotly contested 2011 Scottish election to become MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross.
Now, as the SNP set a date for the referendum, the MSP has said that his former foes’ recent tweets showed a collective Scottish spirit moving towards independence.
However the two former candidates said that it is not as simple as that, and both have different ideas about what is best for the future of the country.
When Mr Rowantree took to the social network site, he told the world that he would vote for independence if the coalition imposed a vote.
He tweeted: "I remain to be convinced on how big a difference INDY would make, but if Wstmstr imposes a referendum I’ll vote for Indy back off Cameron."
Speaking to the John O’Groat Journal this week, the Highland councillor for North, West and Central Sutherland said that the referendum debate requires more than 140 characters – which the site allows per tweet – to discuss such an important and complex issue.
"I do believe the one thing that the SNP’s overwhelming victory in May gave them was an absolute mandate to take the decision on Scotland’s future to the people," he explained.
"The tweet is more about sentiment than detail, in 140 characters you are not really going to have much of a debate.
"But I was particularly irked by Cameron and Osborne interfering in the referendum process."
Mr Rowantree said his preferred option was the mooted third option – devo-max.
This would mean increased fiscal powers to Scotland while retaining the Union, and is also known as "independence lite".
Former Labour candidate Mr Mackay, who has more than 1200 followers on the site, agreed that Alex Salmond’s party had acquired the right to ask the people of Scotland if they wanted independence.
He tweeted: "It may pain me as a Labour member, but the majority the SNP won earned them the right to hold a referendum when they want in this parliament."
However, the former Labour candidate said that it was not a clear-cut choice between yes and no.
Mr Mackay said he "fundamentally disagreed" with having a third question about devo-max on the ballot paper.
"I believe Alex Salmond wants a third question, the so-called ‘devo-max’ option, because he doesn’t believe he would win a straight yes/no independence referendum," said Mr Mackay.
"The SNP, like any political party, enjoys being in power. Why risk a referendum the party may lose, that would be followed soon after by a general election and Scottish election that a deflated and demotivated party will then perform badly in?"
Mr Mackay said that Alex Salmond is engaging in "nothing more than a game of high-level brinkmanship" with the third option.
"The third question is a deliberate deal-breaker to make sure a referendum isn’t held and to ensure that the SNP retains its dominant position in domestic Scottish politics," he said.
"The last thing they want to do is lose their grip on power by losing a referendum. So they are manufacturing a way not to hold a referendum without making themselves look like the agitators."
Mr Gibson said he was happy to take the support for the right to hold the referendum in autumn 2014.
"All parties in the Highlands are gracious enough to agree that the SNP won a mandate to hold a referendum that is built, delivered and decided in Scotland – I welcome their support," he said.
"The SNP made a promise to hold a referendum on Scotland’s future in the second half of this parliament, and the UK Government initially pledged to respect that overwhelming mandate.
"But, as with so many of their promises, they have backtracked spectacularly."
Mr Gibson said the Nationalists were "fighting for every vote – even Robbie Rowantree’s!".
