Russia has said the conduct of the Scottish referendum "did not meet international standards", with its observers complaining the count took place in rooms that were too big and that the procedure was badly flawed.
In an apparent attempt to mirror persistent western criticism of Russia's own elections, Igor Borisov – an accredited observer – said the poll failed to meet basic international norms.
Borisov and three other Russians arrived in Edinburgh on Wednesday evening, the state news agency Ria Novosti reported. The team from Moscow's Public Institute of Suffrage watched voting take place in the Scottish capital and the surrounding area. It also met with Scottish politicians, voters and representatives from non-governmental organisations, Ria said.
Borisov said he was unimpressed by what he saw. He said the room where he watched the count on Thursday night was a cavernous "aircraft hangar" next to an airfield. It was difficult to see what was going on, he said, adding: "The hangar is approximately 100m by 300m. There are tables, with voting papers stacked upon them, but the observers are stuck around the perimeter. Even if you want to, it's impossible to tell what's happening. It's also unclear where the boxes with ballot papers come from."
Borisov said the US state department, the UK and other western countries loudly hectored the Kremlin about Russia's supposed democratic deficiencies. But in this instance, he said, London and Edinburgh had not "fully met" the requirements of a proper referendum.
"Nobody was interested in who was bringing in the voting slips. There were no stamps or signatures as the bulletins were handed over," he said.
Supporters of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had been fervently hoping for a yes vote. Some Russian nationalists had even fixed yes badges to their Twitter profiles, with one –Konstantin Rykov – adding a "Mc" to the front of his Cyrillic surname. (The badge and "Mc" had disappeared by Friday morning). The Kremlin apparently saw Scottish independence as a way of justifying its own hasty annexation of Crimea in March, following a "referendum" conducted in just three weeks and condemned by the west, as armed Russian forces and irregulars swarmed over the Crimean peninsula. Moscow also felt that a yes vote would weaken the UK and bring to power a post-independence Scottish government more amenable to Moscow's wishes. Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister, expressed qualified admiration for President Putin in an interview with GQ in March.
The Kremlin propaganda channel RT, meanwhile, speculated that the result might have been rigged and expressed surprise at the "North Korean" levels of turnout.
Afshin Rattansi, the presenter of RT's Going Underground show, said there were "international considerations", such as the UK's nuclear deterrent, which had affected the outcome. He said: "With the vote as close as this, with the mainstream media on one side, with a massive amount of people from Westminster running up to beg Scotland the other way, and certain recounts in certain bits of the poll, which way did the vote go, really?"
He added: "It is normally the sort of turnout you would expect in North Korea. Usually media here would go 'we don't believe it. How can it be nearly 90%?'".
They shouldn't have let the people over 65 vote because they'll be dead soon so it doesn't affect their future.
Your ignorance at what age people die these days. And those over 65 year olds are the ones that have been pumping money into the economy the past 50 years and making Scotland what it is. You want to deny them a vote? Such woeful disrespect.
Your ignorance at what age people die these days. And those over 65 year olds are the ones that have been pumping money into the economy the past 50 years and making Scotland what it is. You want to deny them a vote? Such woeful disrespect.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten.
I never said either result was disgusting, you did which is anti-democratic and self-serving. Scotland voted no, that isn't disgusting, it just is. Get over your opinions.
Quote:
Originally posted by Goosey
They shouldn't have let the people over 65 vote because they'll be dead soon so it doesn't affect their future.
And the award for stupidest comment in this thread...
I never said either result was disgusting, you did which is anti-democratic and self-serving. Scotland voted no, that isn't disgusting, it just is. Get over your opinions.
45% voted yes, and the result is terrible, 45% agree with me. They probably let English and other foreigners who are living in Scotland vote too.
45% voted yes, and the result is terrible, 45% agree with me. They probably let English and other foreigners who are living in Scotland vote too.
The result is a majority saying no to independence. This absolute pile of horse **** patriotism makes zero sense. It's 2014, people make rational decisions based on what's best for them, not zeal-filled optimism about breaking away from the dreaded English. Times have changed, Scotland for now feels better in the UK than not in it with a majority ruling. Maybe that changes in 100 years, maybe it doesn't. The only thing disgusting is a person giving ageist or possibly racist opinions because they didn't like the result of this democratic vote.
This absolute pile of horse **** patriotism makes zero sense. It's 2014, people make rational decisions based on what's best for them, not zeal-filled optimism about breaking away from the dreaded English.
That's easy for you to say Mr. Living-In-Boston-Happily-Independent-For-238-Years.
That's easy for you to say Mr. Living-In-Boston-Happily-Independent-For-238-Years.
Seriously, are you comparing how the US was in the 1700s before it gained independence to how Scotland is today? That kind of nonsense is why deluded YES pushers are so shocked at the calm logic exercised by Scots today.
Seriously, are you comparing how the US was in the 1700s before it gained independence to how Scotland is today? That kind of nonsense is why deluded YES pushers are so shocked at the calm logic exercised by Scots today.
How would you like to vote for a party but people from another country vastly outnumber you and their politicians control your most important laws and resources?
Quote:
Originally posted by its_britney_bitch
I'm from Scotland and am so relieved it was a resounding No. We don't need nor want it
Only 88% of those living in Scotland are actually Scottish, the other 12% are foreigners - gypsies, English, Asians, etc (according to Wikipedia, Demographics of Scotland). How do you know this 12% didn't derail the vote?
Consider this before replying to me: Potentially 51% of SCOTS may have voted YES.
Only 88% of those living in Scotland are actually Scottish, the other 12% are foreigners - gypsies, English, Asians, etc (according to Wikipedia, Demographics of Scotland). How do you know this 12% didn't derail the vote?
Consider this before replying to me: Potentially 51% of SCOTS may have voted YES.
(0.49*88)+12 = 55
I really don't care because it was a no vote just like I wanted. Unlike you a person's nationality doesn't matter to me, they're living here, it concerns them as much as me. And also I can't really talk because I plan on immigrating to America someday
I really don't care because it was a no vote just like I wanted. Unlike you a person's nationality doesn't matter to me, they're living here, it concerns them as much as me. And also I can't really talk because I plan on immigrating to America someday.
So you think the entire world should be allowed to vote on Scottish issues? I'll be voting SNP then!