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| Alex Salmond is to announce the date of next year's Scottish independence referendum in a statement at Holyrood later on Thursday. | Alex Salmond is to announce the date of next year's Scottish independence referendum in a statement at Holyrood later on Thursday. |
| The first minister's statement, nearly two years after winning his landslide election victory, will come as the Scottish parliament publishes its draft referendum bill to enact the poll. | The first minister's statement, nearly two years after winning his landslide election victory, will come as the Scottish parliament publishes its draft referendum bill to enact the poll. |
| Voters, set to include 16- and 17-year-olds for the first time in a major poll, will be asked a single six-word question: "Should Scotland become an independent country?" | Voters, set to include 16- and 17-year-olds for the first time in a major poll, will be asked a single six-word question: "Should Scotland become an independent country?" |
| The bill will set out spending limits for the opposing campaigns and political parties, expected to total at least £6m, and confirm further details about the franchise including 16- and 17-year-olds. | The bill will set out spending limits for the opposing campaigns and political parties, expected to total at least £6m, and confirm further details about the franchise including 16- and 17-year-olds. |
| Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy first minister, who is charged with leading the Scottish government's referendum campaign, said the announcement marked "a significant and important step in Scotland's independence journey". | Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy first minister, who is charged with leading the Scottish government's referendum campaign, said the announcement marked "a significant and important step in Scotland's independence journey". |
| Speaking as she met apprentices at Steel Engineering in Renfrewshire, which fabricates tidal and wind turbines, she said: "We have an ambitious vision for this country, one that is prosperous and successful, reflecting Scottish values of fairness and opportunity, promoting equality and social cohesion. But I believe this vision can only be realised through the powers that independence will bring." | Speaking as she met apprentices at Steel Engineering in Renfrewshire, which fabricates tidal and wind turbines, she said: "We have an ambitious vision for this country, one that is prosperous and successful, reflecting Scottish values of fairness and opportunity, promoting equality and social cohesion. But I believe this vision can only be realised through the powers that independence will bring." |
| The apprentice engineers were due to cut the date for the referendum out of steel plate with a laser. | The apprentice engineers were due to cut the date for the referendum out of steel plate with a laser. |
| Temporary powers to stage the referendum were transferred to the Scottish parliament under the Edinburgh agreement between Salmond and David Cameron, which was signed in October. | Temporary powers to stage the referendum were transferred to the Scottish parliament under the Edinburgh agreement between Salmond and David Cameron, which was signed in October. |
| The Scottish National party and wider independence movement, which includes the Scottish Green party, faces a significant deficit in opinion polls, with support for independence remaining at about a third of voters. Recent surveys have put support for leaving the UK 19 points behind support for remaining in it. | |
| Scottish ministers insist the real debate has yet to start: they are due to publish a detailed "prospectus" for independence in November. | Scottish ministers insist the real debate has yet to start: they are due to publish a detailed "prospectus" for independence in November. |
| Speculation on the date chosen by Salmond has focused on the leak last year of his apparent preferred date of Saturday 18 October 2014. | Speculation on the date chosen by Salmond has focused on the leak last year of his apparent preferred date of Saturday 18 October 2014. |
| There has been concern that staging the vote on a Saturday, while common in some other democracies, will disadvantage religious groups. It is the Sabbath for observant Jews, which would prohibit them from voting, and there are orthodox Sabbatarian Protestants in the Western Isles who would object to votes being counted on a Sunday. | There has been concern that staging the vote on a Saturday, while common in some other democracies, will disadvantage religious groups. It is the Sabbath for observant Jews, which would prohibit them from voting, and there are orthodox Sabbatarian Protestants in the Western Isles who would object to votes being counted on a Sunday. |
| Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, told BBC Scotland she would rather the referendum was held earlier than next autumn because of the serious task of confronting the recession and improving public services. | Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, told BBC Scotland she would rather the referendum was held earlier than next autumn because of the serious task of confronting the recession and improving public services. |
| "Scotland has been waiting far too long, both for the date to be announced and engagement in a serious debate about the referendum," she said. | "Scotland has been waiting far too long, both for the date to be announced and engagement in a serious debate about the referendum," she said. |
| "The reality is that, while the first minister plays around at when he's going to give us the date, he's not doing his day job, which is running the country. Our services are under pressure and families are under pressure and they deserve a government which has got them as a focus, not their own party obsessions." | "The reality is that, while the first minister plays around at when he's going to give us the date, he's not doing his day job, which is running the country. Our services are under pressure and families are under pressure and they deserve a government which has got them as a focus, not their own party obsessions." |