Alex Salmond’s announcement that the referendum on independence will be held in autumn 2014 has sparked an unprecedented level of international interest from the world’s media on Scotland.
Scotland and the SNP are no strangers to media interest; from the historic victory at the 2007 Scottish elections to last year’s landslide result when the Scottish people delivered a resounding SNP majority at the Scottish Parliament. However, the referendum date announcement has scaled new previously unknown levels of worldwide coverage.
The BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson described the First Minister - who is currently in the Middle East signing a ground-breaking deal on renewables - as "the canniest political operator in these isles". This sentiment wasn’t confined to London alone as international enquiries kept the phones ringing red hot at the SNP’s Central Office.
Digital media has seen a spike too, with Facebook pages packed with the stories about the SNP being ahead of the David Cameron’s anti-independence gang’s game, and Twitter timelines filled with trending topics including #Indyref, #ItsStarted, #SNP, #Salmond and #Scotland.
Humza Yousaf, MSP for Glasgow, said:
“It has been a phenomenal start to 2012; David Cameron and his Lib Dem and Labour anti-independence pack look lost, while Alex Salmond and the SNP continue to keep moving Scotland forward and the level of interest from the media in England, Ireland, across Europe and beyond has been remarkable.
“I personally have done interviews and spoke with journalists working for media organisation from Australia, Catalonia, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
“It is really encouraging for the drive towards independence to have this level of interest focused on Scotland, as is the level of warmth and support my colleagues and I have received from new friends from overseas.
“People recognise Scotland as an ambitious, outward looking and progressive nation. Now, far beyond these shores, it is understood that our noble desire for self-determination is within the grasp of the people of Scotland.”
Notes From Around The World:
NY TIMES, USA
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/world/europe/scottish-independence-movement-draws-renewed-sparring.html?_r=1 “The political alignment in Scotland in the wake of the outright victory in last year’s election by the Scottish National Party, a group that has campaigned for independence since the 1930s, has created an unmatched opportunity to press the case for an end to the union”.
HUFFINGTON POST, USA http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/10/scottish-independence-illegal-david-cameron-law-change-section-30-order_n_1196635.html “Scottish National Party MPs at Westminster are clearly delighted at the latest impasse, believing it is causing a surge in new members joining the SNP in Scotland.”
LE MONDE, FRANCE (via lexis nexis) “The very Scottish independence leader will indeed have enough time to convince the population of interest and the credibility of its economic cause.”
CTV NEWS, CANADA http://m.ctv.ca/topstories/20110515/parti-quebecois-referendum-ideas-110515.html “Key suggestions for Scotland's nationalists: be careful with the timing and keep an eye out for rule-bending rivals.”
IRISH TIMES, IRELAND http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2012/0111/1224310098506.html “There is no political figure among his opponents to compare with Salmond’s stature.”
EL PAIS, SPAIN http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/Partida/escocesa/elpepiopi/20120111elpepiopi_2/Tes “British Prime Minister, Conservative David Cameron is trying cut the grass under their feet the wily chief minister Scottish Nationalist Alex Salmond… who now has an absolute majority and a mandate.”
PERSOVERZICHT, POLAND “The Scottish Premier Cameron's ultimatum yesterday waved away as unwanted interference.”
VILAWEB, CATALONIA http://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/3969837/20120111/escocia-posa-rumb-independencia.html “Salmond made a tough speech against Prime Minister Cameron, whom he accused of eating in Scottish affairs.”
PRAVDA, RUSSIA http://www.pravda.ru/world/europe/european/11-01-2012/1104289-scotland-0/ “The right to independent existence of the Scots deserve more than any other separatist region of Europe.”
SYDNEY MH, AUSTRALIA http://www.smh.com.au/world/camerons-handling-of-scottish-referendum-triggers-backlash-20120110-1pth9.html Headline: “Cameron's handling of Scottish referendum triggers backlash.”
NZ HERALD, NEW ZEALAND http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10777975&_ft_qid=5696153544275220203&_ft_mf_story_key=10150491712763049&_ft_filter=live&_ft_substories=3&_ft_fbid=354347101257990%2C153114234798807%2C163214163781138&_ft_c=m Headline: “Independence beckons for Scotland”
FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU, GERMANY http://www.fr-online.de/politik/schotten-sollen-2014-ueber-unabhaengigkeit-abstimmen,1472596,11418380.html “The Scottish Prime Minister Alex Salmond rejected it (London’s offer) on the BBC. Scotland would not allow itself to be dictated by the conditions of London.”
AFTENPOTEN, NORWAY http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/Cameron-vil-ha-folkeavstemning-om-skotsk-uavhengighet-6737619.html “The Scottish National Party SNP, led by Alex Salmond, will have a referendum on whether Scotland should secede from the rest of the UK.”
ABC, SPAIN http://www.abc.es/20120111/internacional/abci-crisis-constitucional-escocia-201201111247.html “Covered in this electoral legitimacy, Salmond has accused the British political class "afraid" of the result of a referendum, and has used skillfully to tarnish the mantle Cameron with the memory of Margaret Thatcher's intransigence at the first steps toward Scottish autonomy given by the Labour governments that preceded it.”
ABC, AUSTRALIA http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-11/scotlands-leader-tells-cameron-to-stay-out-of/3767090 “The support for Independence is creeping up”
Scotland and the SNP are no strangers to media interest; from the historic victory at the 2007 Scottish elections to last year’s landslide result when the Scottish people delivered a resounding SNP majority at the Scottish Parliament. However, the referendum date announcement has scaled new previously unknown levels of worldwide coverage.
The BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson described the First Minister - who is currently in the Middle East signing a ground-breaking deal on renewables - as "the canniest political operator in these isles". This sentiment wasn’t confined to London alone as international enquiries kept the phones ringing red hot at the SNP’s Central Office.
Digital media has seen a spike too, with Facebook pages packed with the stories about the SNP being ahead of the David Cameron’s anti-independence gang’s game, and Twitter timelines filled with trending topics including #Indyref, #ItsStarted, #SNP, #Salmond and #Scotland.
Humza Yousaf, MSP for Glasgow, said:
“I personally have done interviews and spoke with journalists working for media organisation from Australia, Catalonia, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
“It is really encouraging for the drive towards independence to have this level of interest focused on Scotland, as is the level of warmth and support my colleagues and I have received from new friends from overseas.
“People recognise Scotland as an ambitious, outward looking and progressive nation. Now, far beyond these shores, it is understood that our noble desire for self-determination is within the grasp of the people of Scotland.”
Notes From Around The World:
NY TIMES, USA
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/world/europe/scottish-independence-movement-draws-renewed-sparring.html?_r=1 “The political alignment in Scotland in the wake of the outright victory in last year’s election by the Scottish National Party, a group that has campaigned for independence since the 1930s, has created an unmatched opportunity to press the case for an end to the union”.
HUFFINGTON POST, USA http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/10/scottish-independence-illegal-david-cameron-law-change-section-30-order_n_1196635.html “Scottish National Party MPs at Westminster are clearly delighted at the latest impasse, believing it is causing a surge in new members joining the SNP in Scotland.”
LE MONDE, FRANCE (via lexis nexis) “The very Scottish independence leader will indeed have enough time to convince the population of interest and the credibility of its economic cause.”
CTV NEWS, CANADA http://m.ctv.ca/topstories/20110515/parti-quebecois-referendum-ideas-110515.html “Key suggestions for Scotland's nationalists: be careful with the timing and keep an eye out for rule-bending rivals.”
IRISH TIMES, IRELAND http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2012/0111/1224310098506.html “There is no political figure among his opponents to compare with Salmond’s stature.”
EL PAIS, SPAIN http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/Partida/escocesa/elpepiopi/20120111elpepiopi_2/Tes “British Prime Minister, Conservative David Cameron is trying cut the grass under their feet the wily chief minister Scottish Nationalist Alex Salmond… who now has an absolute majority and a mandate.”
PERSOVERZICHT, POLAND “The Scottish Premier Cameron's ultimatum yesterday waved away as unwanted interference.”
VILAWEB, CATALONIA http://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/3969837/20120111/escocia-posa-rumb-independencia.html “Salmond made a tough speech against Prime Minister Cameron, whom he accused of eating in Scottish affairs.”
PRAVDA, RUSSIA http://www.pravda.ru/world/europe/european/11-01-2012/1104289-scotland-0/ “The right to independent existence of the Scots deserve more than any other separatist region of Europe.”
SYDNEY MH, AUSTRALIA http://www.smh.com.au/world/camerons-handling-of-scottish-referendum-triggers-backlash-20120110-1pth9.html Headline: “Cameron's handling of Scottish referendum triggers backlash.”
NZ HERALD, NEW ZEALAND http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10777975&_ft_qid=5696153544275220203&_ft_mf_story_key=10150491712763049&_ft_filter=live&_ft_substories=3&_ft_fbid=354347101257990%2C153114234798807%2C163214163781138&_ft_c=m Headline: “Independence beckons for Scotland”
FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU, GERMANY http://www.fr-online.de/politik/schotten-sollen-2014-ueber-unabhaengigkeit-abstimmen,1472596,11418380.html “The Scottish Prime Minister Alex Salmond rejected it (London’s offer) on the BBC. Scotland would not allow itself to be dictated by the conditions of London.”
AFTENPOTEN, NORWAY http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/Cameron-vil-ha-folkeavstemning-om-skotsk-uavhengighet-6737619.html “The Scottish National Party SNP, led by Alex Salmond, will have a referendum on whether Scotland should secede from the rest of the UK.”
ABC, SPAIN http://www.abc.es/20120111/internacional/abci-crisis-constitucional-escocia-201201111247.html “Covered in this electoral legitimacy, Salmond has accused the British political class "afraid" of the result of a referendum, and has used skillfully to tarnish the mantle Cameron with the memory of Margaret Thatcher's intransigence at the first steps toward Scottish autonomy given by the Labour governments that preceded it.”
ABC, AUSTRALIA http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-11/scotlands-leader-tells-cameron-to-stay-out-of/3767090 “The support for Independence is creeping up”
