An event to mark the 10th anniversary of Scotland’s independence referendum will be held at the University of Glasgow on September 17.
The referendum saw the No vote win with 55 percent of the vote compared to 45 percent for the Yes campaign. It will be hosted at the John Smith Centre at the university and it’s hoped it can bring a conversation together from both sides of the yes and no divide.
Eddie Barnes is the director of the John Smith Centre and believes there’s been little opportunity for that in the past.
Now he is determined to host a ‘civilised’ debate about the pros and cons of independence during the event at the university next month. It will be held exactly 10 years after Scotland went to the polls to vote on Scotland’s future.
‘How Was It For You? Scotland’s Referendum Decade’ will see former SNP MSP Jeanne Freeman, ex-Conservative MSP and professor of public law Professor Adam Tomkins, journalist Dani Garavelli and newspaper columnist Jonathon Shafi join Mr Barnes to speak about their experiences of the referendum and what has happened in the decade since.
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Mr Barnes said: “The constitutional debate has dominated Scotland’s politics since the referendum ten years ago. Yet there has been far too little opportunity for people who disagree with each other on the big question to have a conversation about the issues we’ve faced. The choice for many has been either to ignore it or face online abuse for daring to express a view. Neither is a sign of a healthy democracy.”
“At the John Smith Centre at the University of Glasgow, we want to fill our public square with a more civilised and thoughtful politics. By offering people a chance to reflect on the last decade, we’re hoping our event on the 10th anniversary of the referendum will help deliver that.”
Tickets for the event are free and available online.
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