Independent Scotland’s first elections ‘in 2016’

Agence France-Presse

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Alex Salmond also challenged British Prime Minister David Cameron to take part in a head-to-head television debate before the referendum in 2014

EDINBURGH, United Kingdom – Scotland will hold its first elections for an independent parliament in 2016 if voters opt to leave the United Kingdom in a referendum next year, First Minister Alex Salmond said on Saturday, October 19.

Addressing the annual conference of his Scottish National Party, Salmond said he would overturn key British government policies including the part-privatization of the Royal Mail and the so-called “bedroom tax” if Scotland achieves independence.

Salmond also challenged British Prime Minister David Cameron, of the Conservative party, to take part in a head-to-head television debate before the referendum on September 18, 2014.

“We intend to win this referendum,” Salmond said to applause from the delegates in Perth, Scotland. “We are Scotland’s independence generation and our time is now.”

Opinion polls currently show that only a third of Scotland’s 5.5 million-strong population are planning to vote in favor of independence.

But Salmond said voting yes to independence “will be above all an act of self confidence and act of self belief.”

Salmond said the Scottish government’s white paper setting out its platform on independence would be published on November 26.

The paper would include plans to hold the “first elections for an independent Scottish Parliament in the spring of 2016.”

He said the “first act of an independent Scotland” would be to scrap the so-called bedroom tax introduced by Cameron’s Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, under which welfare payments are cut for public housing tenants who are deemed to have a spare bedroom.

The United Nations’ special rapporteur on housing in September called on Britain to scrap the bedroom tax, saying it had a “shocking” impact on the poor.

Salmond said an independent Scotland would also scrap the controversial part-privatisation of British postal operator Royal Mail.

Shares of Royal Mail shares have surged from their offer price of 330 pence since their stock market debut on October 11, leading to questions about whether it was undervalued.

Salmond meanwhile issued the latest in a series of challenges to Cameron to debate the independence issue with him.

“Step up to the plate or step out of the debate,” said Salmond, to applause from the party delegates.

Salmond brought the SNP to power as Scotland’s devolved regional government, first as a minority administration in 2007 and then winning a sweeping majority in 2011.

He says that ending the more than 300-year-old union between England and Scotland would benefit his homeland. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!