September 11, 2013
Big Vote Roadshow – set to roll
In the last edition we highlighted the launch of a new report from Electoral Reform Society – Democracy Max – the outcome of a yearlong inquiry into the state of our democracy. Last weekend ERS launched an excellent short film telling the story of that inquiry. View the film here. Next week, Willie Sullivan, director of ERS will contribute to the first of our Big Vote events which is being held in Linlithgow Burgh Halls. The Big Vote website goes live on Monday. Our Referendum Road Show is on the move.
11/09/13
Article from the Black Bitch – Linlithgow’s community magazine
To see e-flier for event click here
Big Vote website (launching Monday 16th September) www.thebigvote.org
Speaking recently at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on the independence debate, broadcaster Andrew Marr expressed concern at what he feels has been the very aggressive tone in which some of it is being conducted. “Whatever happens next year, everyone is going to have to live together afterwards”.
These sentiments chime very closely with the thinking behind a new national initiative called The Big Vote – coordinated by the Scottish Community Alliance – which is going to kick off in Linlithgow on September 17th in the Burgh Halls. The big idea behind The Big Vote is to shift the focus of debate away from the politicians, out of the TV studios and put it into the hands of local people. The event later this month, organised by the Scottish Community Alliance assisted by members of various local organisations, will be the first of many such events around the country. Although local representatives of both Better Together and YES campaigns have been invited to attend, the event is really an opportunity for the local community to begin to talk about some of the big questions they have about Scotland’s future.
As well as having representatives of the two main campaigns on hand to input their suggestions for a successful future, the meeting will hear the thoughts of one or two specially invited speakers whose job will be to provoke discussion and new thinking amongst the audience. Invitations have been issued to a range of high profile speakers who will attend the different events across the country including journalists and broadcasters Lesley Riddoch, Iain McWhirter and Joyce MacMillan, Robin McAlpine (Jimmy Reid Foundation) , Andy Wightman (land reform campaigner), Malcolm Fraser (architect) Dave Moxham (STUC) and Peter Kelly (Poverty Alliance).
A crucial ingredient of the Big Vote events is the idea that everyone’s views should be respected and listened to – this is absolutely not an opportunity to shout people down. As Andrew Marr pointed out, “Nobody deserves to be criticised or denounced for holding a particular view”.
Linlithgow’s Big Vote event is being held on Tuesday, 17th September at 7.30pm – 9.00pm in Linlithgow Burgh Halls.
This is an important event on the road to the Referendum, the first of a series in Scotland and should not be missed if you’d like to be better informed.
To register your attendance email “book me my place at The Big Vote in Linlithgow” to: big.vote@scottishcommunityalliance.net and confirm numbers in your party.