Scottish independence: Lottery winners call for end to 'smears'A couple who won £161m on the Euromillions lottery have called for an end to the "smears" which they said were blighting the Scottish independence debate.
Colin and Chris Weir are reported to have given £3m of their fortune to the SNP and Yes Scotland.
The couple said the donations had led to them being subjected to "downright nasty" personal attacks.
They called for both sides to respect opposing views ahead of the referendum.
In a letter to the Herald and Scotsman newspapers, Mr and Mrs Weir said they had made a decision not to speak publicly about any aspect of their lives when they won the Euromillions jackpot three years ago.
The couple, from Largs in Ayrshire, said they tried to live the same "quiet, decent, lives" just as they had done before their win.
They have used their fortune to fund several good causes, including buying a 13-year-old boy a prosthetic leg, and have established a charitable trust to help fund health, sport, cultural, recreational and animal welfare projects.
But they said their silence had "meant that, from time to time, we have been subjected to comment and speculation, the majority of it kind and generous, some of it mischievous or ill-informed and, occasionally, some of it downright nasty".
They said they trusted the public to "recognise the difference between fact, speculation and idle gossip".
The couple added: "We appreciate that not everyone shares our political view. That surely is the point of democracy. And, in a democracy, we each have the right to support political campaigns of our choosing and to contribute financially, provided we do so in line with the rules.
"As lifelong supporters of independence, it would be strange if we did not support the Yes Scotland campaign. So that is what we have done, nothing more and nothing less.
"No-one bullied or targeted us, as has been suggested in recent newspaper articles. The only 'targeting' has been by an MSP who chose to express his 'concern' for us by implying we have been, at best, naive, and, at worst, duped. Would he, we wonder, have felt the same concern had our contribution supported his cause?"
Last month, Mr and Mrs Weir were the subjects of an article in the Scottish Daily Mail newspaper in which Tory MSP Alex Johnstone suggested the couple may have been "targeted" for donations.
'Honesty and integrity' In their letter, the Weirs said that the people of Scotland would "all have to live together" regardless of the outcome of the referendum on 18 September, when voters will be asked the Yes/No question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?".
The Weirs said: "That will only be possible if both sides of the campaign, the politicians and the media take responsibility for their behaviour and language in the next few months.
"They are the ones who will steer Scotland through this challenging period - we can't have the possibility of leaving our country fragmented.
"So it is time for all sides to stop the smears and personal attacks before a line is crossed and attitudes adopted that cannot easily be healed. No-one - on any side - should be vilified for the views they hold, lest our democracy become the victim of the debate.
"Differences can and should be expressed - but decently, with honesty and integrity.
"Our lives have been blessed with good fortune. And we wish to live out our time in a happy and confident Scotland, one which respects and thrives on political differences. Otherwise, in a race to the bottom of the political barrel, we will all be the losers."
A spokesman for the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign said Mr and Mrs Weir deserved to be treated with "courtesy and respect".
The pro-UK Better Together campaign said "everybody should feel free to express their view without fear of abuse".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-s ... s-27323186Cybernats: Pro-UK group forced to change online campaign after barrage of abuseVote No Borders disables comments on videos after featured Union supporters are personally attacked for views on Scottish independence A new pro-UK group has been forced to stop people commenting under its online videos after volunteers expressing support for Britain were subjected to personal abuse from Nationalists.
Scots who agreed to be filmed speaking openly about their UK support for Vote No Borders were called "racist" and labelled "Unionist bulls******s" in a string of vitriolic messages.
Internet users attacked one volunteer over his size, mocked another for his thick Scottish accent and ridiculed a third for getting emotional at the thought of the Union breaking apart.
"Mumbling idiot has no clue what the hell is going on! What a clown – shame one him. Traitor," read one comment posted next to the videos. "I'm embarrassed for you. To be so ignorant must be a gift," another read.
Vote No Borders, a new group which launched last week to "inject some positivity into the Union", has been posting "unpolished" first-person testimonials on YouTube, a video sharing website
Yet the flood of abusive messages that followed forced the group to disable the comment function under its videos within 48 hours and write to those involved amid fears they would be personally offended by the remarks.
A Vote No Borders spokesman said that people who had "stuck their head above the parapet" to speak out for the Union had been subjected to "constant bullying" from Nationalists.
Labour said the abusive behaviour on display "shames Scotland" while Yes Scotland, the pro-independence movement, called all forms of abuse "unacceptable".
The phenomenon of "cybernats" – pro-independence supporters who flood individuals or organisations that express pro-UK sentiments with abusive messages – has been seen throughout the referendum campaign.
David Bowie, the musician, Sir Chris Hoy, six-time Olympic gold medallist, and Susan Calman, a Scottish comedian, have all received internet abuse for discussing independence.
Vote No Borders, which has registered as an official pro-UK campaigner with the Electoral Commission, is backed by Malcolm Offord, a millionaire business investor.
The group announced its "people's campaign" would be pursuing a deliberately positive message last month amid growing criticism that the No campaign has been too negative.
Yet having convinced 10 supporters of the Union to discuss their views publicly despite the febrile state of the debate, the participants soon found themselves being personally attacked online.
One YouTube user wrote: "These folk truly are mushrooms that love to be covered in Unionist s****. Open your eyes you fools."
Others accused the volunteers of "playing the racist card" and being "stooge" actors while ridiculing their support for the UK.
When one middle aged woman said she got emotional at the thought of Scotland leaving the UK, a commenter wrote: "When she starts to pretend to cry I can't help but laugh". Another added: "Go home dear you are fooling no one."
A Vote No Borders spokesman said they have received hundreds of abusive messages over the last week and criticised attempts by Nationalists to locate Mr Offord's birth certificate and post it online.
"We are seeking to be positive in the face of a nationalist campaign which brands anything they don't agree with as 'Project Fear'," the spokesman said.
"According to the opinion polls, there is still a majority of people in Scotland who wish to remain in the Union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"In our view, they deserve a voice, and we are committed to providing them with a platform to share their views in a positive and welcoming environment."
Anne McGuire, Stirling Labour MP, said: "It is completely unacceptable to abuse an organisation or individual because they want to keep the UK together.
"No matter what people's views are on the future of our country, everybody is entitled to be heard with respect. This type of abusive behaviour shames Scotland."
A spokesperson for Yes Scotland said it encourages people on both sides of the debate to "always express their opinions in a reasonable, respectful and courteous manner", adding they have issued "robust social media guidelines" on the matter.
He added: "Abuse, from wherever it comes, is unacceptable but it should be noted that a recent poll (for the Scottish Sunday express) revealed that 21 per cent of those planning to vote Yes were subjected to abuse compared to 8 per cent for those voting No.
"It is incumbent on both sides of the referendum to behave in such a way that is a credit to Scotland. On the whole this is indeed the case, apart from a small minority on both sides who let the debate down."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... abuse.html
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