Scottish independence: Corby 'should have vote'

A campaign has begun to give thousands of people in Northamptonshire the right to vote in Scotland's independence referendum.

Conservative Corby Borough councillor Rob McKellar proposed the idea, which will be discussed at a council meeting in December.

If agreed, the borough council will write to Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond requesting the vote.

Mr McKellar said the decision would affect 12,000 Scots living in Corby.

Scottish culture

He said: "Expatriates who have lived in the country for the last 15 years are entitled to vote in British general elections and Scottish Assembly elections and I believe it should be exactly the same for the referendum.

"I think anybody who is entitled to hold a Scottish passport under the Scottish National Party's (SNP) regime should be allowed to vote."

The referendum will decide in the autumn of 2014 whether Scotland should leave the UK.

Scottish families started coming to Corby in the 1930s, with the development of the iron and steel works.

Mr McKellar, who is a second generation Scot, said Corby was influenced by Scottish culture, dialect, food and places of worship.

The first minister's office in Edinburgh has said there are no plans to extend voting beyond those who are normally resident in Scotland.

But Mr McKellar said he would pursue his call for Scots in Corby to be given the vote.

"This will affect people in Corby as it does in Scotland so they should have their say," he said.