By Kenneth Roy

It is scarcely believable – no, no, scrub that, it is all too believable – that the leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, Johann Lamont, should have greeted yesterday's announcement by the first minister with the following mind-numbing response:

The most important thing is that whichever side wins this referendum, it, and the process to it, is conducted in such a way that the day after it all Scots can come together to fulfil our national duty to make Scotland all it can be.

By a Newsnet Scotland undercover reporter

Here we are, the morning of the night before!  BBC Scotland kicked off their in-depth referendum coverage with, ‘The Big Debate - Choosing Scotland's Future’.

Waiting in the lobby I overheard and witnessed acts of deception, nepotism and strangers playing spot the opposition.

By Kenneth Roy

Near where I live in Burns's Ayrshire, there is the ruin of a tiny church whose roof was blown off in a famous gale 253 years ago today. Early this morning, as I write this, there is only a stiff breeze, not loud enough to drown out the rhetoric of politicians who have chosen this day to sing the latest verses of their big new number or the chatter of their fawning media chorus.

By G.A.Ponsonby
 
First Minister Alex Salmond has declared the debate on Scotland’s constitutional future officially open and called for the “great debate” to begin.
 
Speaking at Edinburgh Castle in front of the assembled ranks of the world’s media Mr Salmond spelled out his vision of an independent Scotland.