Sir Sean Connery, one of Scotland's most prominent citizens, isn't appearing in his homeland to back the "Yes" campaign, but his younger brother denies he's staying away because of his health.
Connery, at 84, lives in legal tax exile in the Bahamas, where there is no personal income or capital gains taxes, and can only be in Scotland for set amount of days a year, his brother, Neil, 76, told
The Edinburgh Evening News.
"I really don't believe he will be making an appearance this week in Scotland," the younger Connery, a retired actor, said.
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There has been a great deal of speculation over whether Connery, who passionately supports Scottish independence, would be in the country this week to join in the campaigns as Thursday's vote approaches. Connery has come home before to back the independence measure, but won't be back to campaign today or vote on Thursday, his brother said.
The battle entered its
final day of campaigning Wednesday with pro-independence supporters saying they have momentum to gain independence, and with those against the measure urging voters not to cast their ballots as a protest against British rule.
The battle is close, with polls Tuesday night showing the anti-independence group, Better Together, which is backed by Prime Minister David Cameron and the main United Kingdom parties, leading the campaign by 52 to 48 percent. However, the gap is closing quickly and some last-minute support from Connery might help the pro-independence camp.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is making his final appeal today, and opponents of independence canvassed through the night into the early hours to visit late-shift workers.
Neil Connery said his famous older brother, who has been criticized for urging Scots to risk their future while living elsewhere in luxury, is only allowed to be in the country "a certain amount of days" for tax reasons, so he knows that he "intends to use them wisely."
Further, he said, his brother is "probably in better health than me" and the last time he'd heard from him, he was in New York.
While the "yes" campaign isn't commenting on the younger Connery's statements, an inside source said that the James Bond star's non-appearance has nothing to do with his tax exile status, but rather that he's in "ill health and he's an old man."
Some Scots took to Twitter on Tuesday to ask if Connery would be attending, and to voice their disappointment.
One, James McEleny, tweeted:
But another, David Best, poked fun at Connery:
Connery is widely referred to as "the Greatest Living Scot," and appeared in seven Bond movies, among numerous other films.
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