Scottish independence fight moves to TV screens in 1st debate ahead of referendum

The battle forScotland's future shifted to voters' TV screens for the first timeon Tuesdaywhen the leader of the pro-independence campaigndebated the leader of the pro-U.K. campaign in a U.S.-style debateahead of a historic referendum.

Scots will decide onSept. 18whether to remain part of theUnited Kingdom or to break their 307-year union with England andstrike out alone with opinion polls showing most voters willreject independence.

• Scotland independence vote could mean revamp of Union Jack

• Scotland mobilizes youth vote in run-up to referendum

However, Alex Salmond, Scotland's nationalist leader, ishoping he can turn the tide in the final weeks of the campaignby drawing on his widely recognized rhetorical skills.

No one, absolutely no one,would do a better job of running Scotland than the people wholive and work in Scotland.-AlexSalmond, Scottish nationalist leader

DuringTuesday'sTV debate, Salmond argued that anindependent Scotland could build a fairer and richer society.

The British government spent far too much on nuclearweapons, he said, but had failed the people of Scotland whileimposing taxes. Salmond has promised to rid Scotland of nucleararms if Scotland becomes independent.

"My case this evening is simple: No one, absolutely no one,would do a better job of running Scotland than the people wholive and work in Scotland," Salmond told an audience infront of a screen bearing Scotland's white and blue flag.

"On the18th of Septemberwe have the opportunity of alifetime we should seize it with both hands," said Salmond.

Surveys consistently show opponents of independence holdingon to a substantial lead over those who want to end the unionwith England, though as many as a quarter of Scotland's 4million voters have yet to decide.

A poll from Ipsos Mori released as the TV debate commencedshowed support for independence had risen to 40 per cent, up 4points since a similar poll in June and the highestsupport that the pollster has yet recorded for the "Yes"campaign.

However, other polls have suggested that the "Yes" campaignstalled at the end of March andTuesday'spoll found that 54per cent were set to reject independence, unchanged since June,while 7 per cent of the electorate were still unsure how theywould vote a 3 point fall.

'No going back'

In the debate, Salmond, leader of the pro-independenceScottish National Party, was pitted against Alistair Darling,head of the "Better Together" anti-independence campaign.

"If we decide to leave, there is no going back, there is nosecond chance. For me the choice is very very clear: I want touse the strength of the United Kingdom to make Scotlandstronger," said Darling.

"We can have the best of both worlds with a strong Scottishparliament with full powers over health, over education and withmore powers guaranteed because a vote to say no thanks to therisks of independence is not a vote for no change."

Darling was finance minister in the last British Labourgovernment and his party commands wide respect in Scotland.

In his critique of the nationalist case, Darling, at timesraising his voice, focused on economic arguments, particularlywhat plans Salmond had for its post-independence currency andits future revenues.

After pushing Salmond on how an independent Scotland couldkeep the pound, given that the British government had excluded acurrency union, Darling repeatedly asked: "What is plan B?"

"I am in favour of keeping the pound sterling," Salmond,dressed in a grey suit, said, after he was booed by at least onemember of the audience.

Debate broadcast only in Scotland

Darling was spoken over by at least one member of theaudience and the moderator of the debate asked the audience torespect the debate. Both men interrupted each other at times.

Sometimes reading from notes and quoting news reports,Salmond branded the "No" campaign as "Project Fear" andcomplained about its tactics.

He also accused Darling, a left-wing politician, of beingallied with ministers belonging to right-leaning Prime MinisterDavid Cameron's government, which he said wanted to lead Britainout of the European Union.

"I want Scotland to stay inside the European Union," saidSalmond.

Cameron says he wants to keep Britain inside a reformed EU.

Salmond's supporters argue that Scotland, which has its ownparliament and judicial system but lacks substantial tax-raisingpowers, would be freer, better governed and richer on its own.

The "No" campaign argues Scotland would be unable to keepthe British pound, that tens of thousands of jobs in the defenceand financial sectors would be at risk, and that an independentScotland might find it hard to rejoin the European Union.

Only Scots living in Scotland can vote in the referendum andonly viewers north of the border with England were able to watchthe debate on terrestrial TV.

An affiliate of British broadcaster ITV showed the debate inScotland. In the rest of Britain, it broadcast a gardening showat the same time. Some Scots living in England tried but failedto watch the debate on the broadcaster's Internet site.

Earlieron Tuesday, in a move widely seen as an attempt toundermine Salmond, Britain's three main political parties allsaid they would seek further powers for Scotland in the event ofa "No" vote when it came to tax raising and social security.