1. Issue 1
08.09.15
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News Opine Sports
Corbynmania p. 7 UoA is new living wage employer p. 3 Iran in the 21st century p. 13 Women with balls p. 15
IV MAGAZINE
Brave Battle
Juicy Plums
Cyber Threats
Scottish
Festivals
p. 4
p. 7
p. 8
p. 10One Year On:The Interviews
Turn to Features where the two titans of the referendum debate, Alistair
Darling and Alex Salmond, speak to us about the aftermath of the vote. p.8

2. 08.09.15 p.8
There is little love lost between the two sides of the referendum. When
two men so passionately campaign for polar opposite results it is no surprise.
Almost a year has passed since the 18th of September, a defining day in
Scottish history. That day the people of Scotland voted to remain as part of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The margins of victory were slim, 55.3% to 44.7%, a difference of only
383,937 voters. However, the aftershock of such a close and bitter battle
between the Better Together and Yes campaigns was felt long after the end
of the referendum, in the general election which took place eight months
later. On May the 7th the SNP decimated all parties north of the border,
taking all but three of the Scottish seats at Westminster.
It is fair to say the leaders of the two campaigns have experienced the
highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the past year. Alistair Darling
experienced the victory as leader of the Better Together campaign while
Alex Salmond was left devastated by the loss, only for their emotions to be
reversed a matter of months after the referendum, in the general elections.
Following a turbulent year and matching political careers, both men have
elected to step away from the spotlight. Darling has retired and Salmond
stepped down as First Minister of Scotland and will not run for re-election
to Holyrood in 2016.
A year on from that landmark day in Scottish politics, Thomas
Danielian sat down with Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling separately,
to gauge their views on the battle that drew interest from across the world.
Among other topics covered were the general election, student fees, the bitter
labour leadership battle and their opinions on each other. Similar questions
were asked, but very different answers were given.
The Referendum: One Year On
UK General Election
2015 Results
Yes 44.7%
No 55.3%
Scottish Independence
Referendum Results
Scottish Independence
Referendum Results (Scotland)
SNP 50%
LAB 24.3%
CON 14.9%
LD 7.5%
UK General Election 2015
Results (Scotland)
“It was a cry
for something
better. In
Scotland
they went for
nationalists, in
England they
went for UKIP”
A. Darling
Infographics
by Marketa
Slukova;
Photos left
to right: by
Wikipedia
Commons; by
Graham Dargie
How 20-24
year-olds
voted in the
Scottish
Independence
Referendum
48.6%
51.4%
48.6%
51.4%
How 16-20
year-olds
voted in the
Scottish
Independence
Referendum
37.5%
62.5%
48.6%
51.4%

3. p. 25
p.9 08.09.15
DARLING
It is nearly a year on from
the referendum. Are there
any moments that stick in
your memory above all others
from this incredible political
moment?
Not anything one thing
that sticks out except the
result. I always thought we’d
win, I always thought it would
be closer than everyone said
at the beginning. What was
my abiding impression? The
very long, slow, hard grind of
the campaign. It was like a
two and a half year election
campaign. The Nationalists
wanted a long campaign to
grind down opposition and
to rubbish anything or anyone
who attacked them and fight
on emotion.
How do you think the
nation of Scotland has
changed since the 18th of
September?
In the General election,
particularly in Scotland,
you had people following
their safe decision in the
referendum who then said:
“well I’m going to vote for
change”. It was a cry for
something better. In Scotland
they went for nationalists, in
England they went for UKIP.
In continental Europe you
are seeing worrying signs. In
France for example it is not
inconceivable that a far right
President may take power. In
Germany it is the same and
Greece have the Syriza. A
lot of people want something
different.
Why are we (the students)
better off as part of the UK?
Are tuition fees safe?
The universities benefit
massively from being part
of the UK, not least because
of research funding. We
would not be part of that
if we were independent. If
we want our universities to
remain globally competitive
then they need more money
to compensate for subsidized
tuition. This is why they have
cut free education places.
130,000 places have gone.
If free tuition is (the SNP’s)
policy and funding will come
through the tax payer, then
either taxes come up or you
cut your spending elsewhere.
What changes have taken
place that would change No
voters minds?
The SNP point to the
Smith commission as an
indication of the ‘failure’ of
staying united. What Smith
came out with after the
election was never discussed
during the referendum. The
commission was really set up
in advance of the referendum
to iron out the differences
between the three unionist
parties about what powers can
come to Scotland.
How much of an impact do
you think the referendum had
on the General Elections this
year?
We did not have a credible
economic policy or a good
welfare policy. This and the
people wanting change from
the way politics is, is what led
to such a big change.
Do you think the SNP
landslide defeat of all
parties above the border is a
mandate to pursue a second
referendum?
Absolutely not and if
they stick to what they said
during the referendum they
will not. A lot of the people
in the Labour party lost their
confidence. Edinburgh and
Aberdeen were 60% No, then
switched to majority SNP
constituencies.
Who is your preferred
Labour leader? What are
your views on the Leadership
race and especially Jeremy
Corbyn?
Liz Kendall. She is asking
the right questions and
challenging why we lost. It
is gong to be tough to win
in 2020 regardless of who
is the candidate. People like
Corbyn because he is ‘Non-
Mainstream’, but his views
have not changed in 30 years.
Corbyn is harvesting the same
crop of change seekers as the
SNP. If you look at the track
record of his backers in the
past, you have every reason to
be apprehensive.
Should the UK stay in the
EU? Would the UK leaving
the EU lead to another
referendum?
I am entirely consistent
on this. I think we are Better
Together as part of the UK
and Better Together as part of
the EU. We are influencers. It
is not just a question of trade
and economics; it is also about
where we stand in the world.
If you believe you can achieve
more by working together,
like I do in Scotland, then it
makes sense to think they
same for Europe. I think so
much would change within
the body politic of the UK.
Whether or not it would lead
immediately to a referendum I
don’t know.
What is your most
memorable moment as a
politician?
I always say it is up to
someone else to write
my obituary. The most
memorable moment for me
is the banking crisis in 2008.
I have only had one really
scary call in my life and that
was when I had to speak to
the then chairman of RBS.
(It was the) 7th of October
2008, when the bank was
just hemorrhaging money.
We had a plan almost read
to go. We asked the bank
“How long can you last?” and
were told “About two or three
hours.” If it had come down,
all the others in the world
would have come down with
it. The entire system would
have collapsed. This was one
of those moments where I
could make a difference, an
irrevocable difference.
SALMOND
It is nearly a year on from
the referendum. Are there
any moments that stick in
your memory above all others
from that incredible political
moment?
I very clearly remember
a moment from the
campaign on Monday the
1st of September. We were
in Dundee campaigning next
to the statue of Desperate
Dan and I noticed a queue of
people. I went up to a man at
the back of the line and asked
him why they were standing
there. He told me that it
was their last opportunity
to register to vote. The man
said it was the first time since
the introduction of the poll
tax that he had felt like there
was something worth voting
for. That moment, when
someone felt compelled to do
something they had not done
in a long time, was a special
moment for me.
How do you think the
nation of Scotland has
changed since the 18th of
September?
The referendum really
galvanised the population.
In other votes you have to
go and ‘chap on their door’
and make them vote. Yet, for
this vote, there was incredible
interest across all age groups
from all backgrounds. The
vote really galvanised the
population and the excitement
carried on, through to the
general election. The change
in interest in politics is like
going from monochrome to
Technicolor. 98% registration
and 85% turn out is unheard
of and that’s what we had.
How much of a difference
would being independent
make for the student
population? Are tuition fees
safe?
Let me put it this way:
‘The rocks would melt in the
sun’, before there are tuition
fees in Scotland. I don’t think
any SNP government will
ever introduce tuition fees.
Practically it is far better not
to have barriers to education
for an economy and a society,
but also free education is a
fundamental part of Scottish
history. The Scottish stance
on education is what makes it
a truly special country.
What changes have taken
place that would change No
voters minds?
The failure of the Smith
commission has already
demonstrated why we should
be independent. When the
unionist campaign won David
Cameron came sauntering
out of No. 10 Downing
Street as if that was that and
Scotland would no longer ‘be
a problem’.
How much of an impact do
you think the referendum had
on the General Elections this
year?
The failure of the
Westminster parties to stick
to what was discussed in the
Smith commission was a big
factor. Those who changed
to vote SNP at the General
election changed because of
buyers remorse.
Do you think the SNP
landslide defeat of all
parties above the border is a
mandate to pursue a second
referendum?
No. We didn’t ask for a
second one. It is no mandate.
Only a mandate if you ask. It
is a mandate for many things
that were clearly demanded:
1. That ‘The Vow’ that was
made in the last desperate
days of the referendum,
fronted by Gordon Brown,
be upheld. They said there
would be Devo(lution) to the
max, home rule, whatever you
want to call it. They say the
Smith commission fulfilled
these promises. The Scottish
people have said that was not
the case. It is a mandate for
the delivery for ‘The Vow’as it
was stated last autumn.
2. A mandate against
austerity economics. Another
key aspect of the election was
Nicola (Sturgeon) taking a
stand against this. Clearly the
Scottish people agreed with us
about this.
Which of the Labour
leadership candidates would
you work with in Parliament?
Who is your preferred victor?
A long time ago when
this leadership battle started
that ( Jeremy) Corbyn was
not to be underrated. I have
known him for 30 years. He
is not a fool. I don’t agree
with Jeremy on a lot of things,
he doesn’t know anything
about Scotland and he will
freely admit that. He is a
long-standing supporter of
Irish republicanism, but has
never supported Scottish
nationalism. However, I agree
with him on a lot more topics.
Kezia Dugdale said he should
not be leader because he had
rebelled against Labour so
many times, but that was all
about the Iraq war on which
we lobbied together. I think
there would be more areas
we could co-operate on. His
main problem will be internal
politics. Co-operating with
the SNP will be the least of
his problems.
Should the UK stay in the
EU? Would the UK leaving
the EU lead to another
referendum?
Yes and Yes.
What is your most
memorable moment as a
politician?
The 45% in the referendum
was a proud thing and so in a
sense my resignation speech.
It sounds a strange thing to
say but it was a good speech.
How you resign is very
important in politics I think,
because it tells a lot of what
you want to do and who you
are. My proudest achievement
would be the abolition
of student fees. That was
important to me, really, really,
really important.