Young voters raise standard of Scotland’s independence debate

The Scottish capital has hosted what is thought to be the biggest gathering of new voters as some 700 senior secondary pupils packed a hall to hear both sides of the independence debate and question politicians in each camp.

With the September 18 referendum on Scotland’s – and the UK’s – future less than three months away, the 5th and 6th year pupils from Edinburgh’s Boroughmuir and James Gillespie’s high schools challenged Kezia Dugdale, a Lothian Labour MSP from Better Together, and Sarah Beattie-Smith, co-convener of the Edinburgh Greens, who made the case for an independent Scotland.

Sixteen and 17-year-olds will be allowed to vote for the first time in the UK, a move that was originally seen as likely to boost the cause of independence. However, the audience at the debate last month displayed a broad range of views and appeared to find it highly informative.