More than 150 Borders College students took the opportunity to quiz leading politicians and business people from both sides of the Scottish Independence debate at its campus in Galashiels on Friday.
The invited panel included Michael Moore MP and former Labour MP and chairman of Harris Tweed (for The Better Together campaign) Brian Wilson, and Paul Wheelhouse MSP and Ashten Regan-Denham from the Reid Foundation (for the ‘Yes’ campaign).
The event was chaired by ITV Borders political editor, Peter MacMahon. A vote was taken using electronic voting buttons to reveal that, prior to commencement of the debate, 54 per cent intended to vote NO, 11 per cent to vote YES and that 32 per cent were still undecided.
For just over an hour students posed questions to the panel and a lively debate ensued as the panel put forward their answers.
For many of the students, September’s referendum will be the first time they will have the opportunity to vote.
Horticultural student James Morton commented: “It’s been very interesting to hear both sides of the argument, I know how I am going to vote and it didn’t change my mind.”
When asked to cast their votes again after the debate, concluding results were 61% supporting NO, 26% now supporting YES and 13% still undecided.