Centenarians - a clash over Scottish independence
Widow Dorothy Laird has waited all her life for the chance to vote independence. The 101-year-old lives in Grantown and has always been interested in politics. Her brother-in-law Ken McLaren helped found the Aviemore branch of the Scottish National Party 40 years ago. She was born in Scotland but spent most of her life in England with her later husband who served in the RAF. Mrs Laird explains why she will be putting a cross in the Yes box on 18th September.
"My sons were born in England and I think England has been a very good neighbour to us. But neighbours are the people you would call on from time to time, it’s nice to see them around, but you wouldn’t want them coming into your home and telling you how you should run your affairs. Why can’t we take the decisions here instead of them being taken for us in London? But I don’t like this idea that we are cutting England off, or that it is cutting us off. We can still be very good neighbours, countries need good neighbours, but no country wants to be ruled by another.
"People say we might not have as much money as we have now, but every family lives according to the amount of money it has. It just adapts and cuts its cloth accordingly. Anyway, I don’t think we are being subsidised by England. But the big problem with Scotland is how can it stop so many people from leaving. Too many people leave for jobs down south or abroad and that’s got to stop. That’s my question to Alex Salmond. How are you going to bring the jobs we need to stop that?"
Widower George Pursall is 102 and dislikes his daughters helping him with the housework. The Birmingham-born pensioner, who won a World War II bravery medal for serving with the Clyde River Patrol checking for bombs and mines, lives in a small flat in Kingussie. He is one of the referendum campaign’s undecided voters but is swaying towards a no vote.
The retired electrician for Lucas Batteries gives his view of the debate.
"Scotland has been very good to me. I am trying to take in all the arguments from either side. I’m listening to them very carefully on the radio, invariably on BBC Radio 4, but my overriding feeling is that if we can work better together with the rest of the UK then that is the best answer.
"But I believe anything can happen in this debate. A big statement, a bold promise from one of the leaders could sway thousands of people to their side in five minutes. People could say ‘by Jove yes, I will vote for him tomorrow'. It’s surprising the number of new arguments that are coming forward. There are times when I have noticed a certain amount of bias from the BBC but that depends on the reporter. But England and Scotland, they have worked together so very closely over the years. Why break up something that seems to be working so efficiently?"
