REFERENDUM IS ABOUT DEMOCRACY, NOT SUPPORTING WESTMINSTER ELITE

A group of armed forces veterans who are proudly voting Yes - including 102-year-old Desert Rat Jimmy Sinclair - have today issued an open letter in response to the article in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph by Lord Richard Dannatt, in which he attempted to invoke those who had died in conflict as a reason to vote No.

Other signatories include Colin May, who has just retired from the Royal Navy and was Lieutenant Commander and a senior Faslane Naval intelligence officer; and Scottish Government Veterans Minister Keith Brown MSP, who served in the Royal Marines and fought in the Falklands.

The letter reads:

"As former UK armed forces personnel, we take the strongest possible exception to the outrageous statement by Lord Richard Dannatt implying that our fallen comrades died in support of a No vote in a Scottish independence referendum.

"How dare he take their sacrifice in vain and try to turn it to political advantage - particularly having presided over the destruction of Scotland's historic regiments.

"People who serve in the armed forces and veterans hold a variety of different views on Scotland's future. We are all voting Yes on Thursday, others will vote No.

"It is that freedom to decide matters democratically which our service men and women have helped safeguard for generations - it is not about bolstering the position of a self-serving Westminster establishment - and the people of Scotland will choose on Thursday. We believe that choice should and will be Yes."

Signed:
Jimmy Sinclair: 102-year-old Desert Rat
Colin May: Lieutenant Commander, Faslane Naval intelligence officer
Keith Brown MSP: Royal Marine who served in the Falklands War
Iain McRobbie: Royal Navy who served in the Falklands War
Lorraine Orr: Corporal - Adjutant General's Corps (Staff and Personnel Support)
Russ Denny: Warrant Officer 2 - Royal Signals & Adjutant Generals' Corps (Staff and Personnel Support)
Cllr Kate Howie: Lieutenant Colonel - Royal Logistic Corps
Marty McNeil: Corporal - Royal Corps of Transport & Royal Logistic Corps
Gavin Templeton: Corporal - 51st Highland
Ally Strachan: Corporal - Royal Signals
Cameron Scott: Warrant Officer 2 - Royal Artillery
Johnny McNeill: Warrant Officer 2 - Royal Signals
Jeff Duncan: Former RAF Serviceman – and campaigned for 2 years to Save the Scottish Regiments from MoD cuts
Cllr Feargal Dalton: Lieutenant Commander - Royal Navy (Submarine Service)
Ed Campbell: Royal Military Police
Cliff Purvis: Corporal - Queen's Own Highlanders and Royal Army Medical Corps
Stephen Bradford: Lance Corporal - Royal Household Cavalry - Blues and Royals
Noel Buckley: Lieutenant - Royal Navy