Scots debate turns into brawling debacle

ON MONDAY the leaders of the Scottish referendum campaigns went head to head and showed that the debate has taken a nasty turn.

Rather than holding to a well moderated back and forth of the views Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling's combative styles made it seem more like a drunken brawl in a Glasgow pub.

As has been seen many times in other countries the issue of independence is always going to be a contentious issue. Despite being forty years since the North and South separated there is still a deep rooted feeling of bad blood between some in Cyprus on both sides of the divide. Long after the separation negotiations have still dragged on with promises of resolute being given and then broken.

Despite both leaders claiming they would respect the will of the people based on the tensions on Monday Scotland may be running down a similar road, albeit in this case with less blood shed but also less reason.

Once again which currency an independent Scotland would use was high on the list of topics. Once again no clear answer was provided by Mr Salmond other than that he had three plan B's but didn't want to share them yet. Yes campaigners were vocal in their support of this move on social media, complaining that the No Campaign was too focused on currency and avoiding other key issues. 

As one pro-independence supporter wrote on social media site twitter: @macrae85: "There's a 'Plan A,B,C,D & probably E,but u lot are too thick to even think of that...why dampen u'r powder b4 the talks?"

While another said: @antyjan: "Omg! What is this obsession with currency!? We don't need a plan B! Jeeeez! Is that all the NOs have?"

It was during the cross examination phase, however, that the real passions behind the debate came out as Mr Salmond bludgeoned Mr Darling repeatedly with speeches about the "mandate" of the people. Without effective moderation it quickly dissolved into a shouting match with nobody making any helpful or substantive points.

By the time the moderator finally did step in both men looked bloodied but Alex Salmond had definitely regained his confidence after their last engagement and knew that he had won that nights bare knuckle drag out. A snap ICM poll after the debate bore this out with 71 per cent of those asked saying they thought he had won the debate.

It was in the final moments of the debate that the reality of what may happen in the future took hold for many as both leaders spoke of how they would respect the outcome of the referendum. Mr Salmond even going so far as to say he would ask Mr Darling to join him in the negotiations. From the reactions on social media though it seems that these two men will be in the minority of those shaking hands and making amends. The issue has split families and awakened old tensions, something not easily forgotten nor forgiven. Mr Salmond knows this and knows that his passionate rhetoric does not lend itself to peaceful reconciliation later. As Fevzi Hussein of TRNC human rights group Embargoed tweeted: "He is dying for his William Wallace moment..." The risk now is that he gets it.