Pupils at two Moray secondary schools joined their 16 to 18-year-old counterparts at Gordonstoun to debate the future of Scotland on Friday.
A total of 45 pupils who attend Elgin High School joined three from Lossiemouth High joined Gordonstoun students in a referendum debate with MSP’s Richard Lochhead putting the case for Yes and Mary Scanlon arguing for No.
The referendum provides young people over the age of 16 with their first ever opportunity to vote – and the questions being posed by the pupils demonstrated to both politicians that they were fully committed to making careful and considered choices.
“I’m excited at being able to vote,” Erinna Havey-Jamieson, a 17-year-old Gordonstoun pupil said, adding: “Personally I find the Yes campaign interesting but thought they were both very good speakers.
“Mary was very persuasive but I’m sticking to my guns and following my heart, which says Yes.”
16-year-old Craig Ferguson took the opposite view, however, saying that the last two years of his education was an important consideration. He said: “My opinion is No – I feel that is the more conservative option of the two.
“I have two years left in an independent school and I’m not sure how independence would affect that.”
insideMoray will be at the election count in Buckie on Thursday providing live minute by minute updates on the referendum decision in Moray.