The Scottish Question....

[Bella Fortuna]

I thought the choice of question was supposed to be the work of Cameron et al, in that they wanted to present the Scottish voters with a straight "yes" or "no", with no middle ground "devo-max" option.

Would that mean everyone in Scotland has to dress like Devo?

[mistermack]

To put it into perspective, the opposite question, worded the same, would be:

"Do you agree that Scotland should be part of the United Kingdom".

ronmcd, if you think the wording is fair and/or doesn't matter much, would you be happy with this question?

Excellent point, well put.

[ronmcd]

To put it into perspective, the opposite question, worded the same, would be:

"Do you agree that Scotland should be part of the United Kingdom".

ronmcd, if you think the wording is fair and/or doesn't matter much, would you be happy with this question?

Sure, if it were the UK who had a mandate to ask such a question. But they don't. The Scottish government do have a mandate to ask "Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?", having included an independence referendum policy in their manifesto for the 2011 election.

[ronmcd]

To put it into perspective, the opposite question, worded the same, would be:

"Do you agree that Scotland should be part of the United Kingdom".

ronmcd, if you think the wording is fair and/or doesn't matter much, would you be happy with this question?

Excellent question, well put.

It would be an excellent question if Scotland were indpendent and a political party were putting forward a manifesto including a policy of joining the United Kingdom

[mistermack]

To put it into perspective, the opposite question, worded the same, would be:

"Do you agree that Scotland should be part of the United Kingdom".

ronmcd, if you think the wording is fair and/or doesn't matter much, would you be happy with this question?

Sure, if it were the UK who had a mandate to ask such a question. But they don't. The Scottish government do have a mandate to ask "Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?", having included an independence referendum policy in their manifesto for the 2011 election.

I think we have son-of-Salmond here.
The UK government have a duty to ensure the question is fair and unbiased and clear.
So does the electoral commission.

[ronmcd]

I thought the choice of question was supposed to be the work of Cameron et al, in that they wanted to present the Scottish voters with a straight "yes" or "no", with no middle ground "devo-max" option.

The only restriction on the referendum imposed by UK, in exchange for devolving the legal right to hold a referendum on the consititution, was to have a question on independence only, not less powers eg devo max, full fiscal autonomy etc.

Everything else will be decided by the Scottish Parliament, as it should be. It's worth remembering the process is designed to be the same as would happen for a UK referendum at Westminister: so the question to be submitted to the EC will be for the govt to submit, and then parliament to decide; the parliament can also decide the franchise, timing (as long as before end of 2014).

Same as any Westminister referendum, basically.

[ronmcd]

To put it into perspective, the opposite question, worded the same, would be:

"Do you agree that Scotland should be part of the United Kingdom".

ronmcd, if you think the wording is fair and/or doesn't matter much, would you be happy with this question?

Sure, if it were the UK who had a mandate to ask such a question. But they don't. The Scottish government do have a mandate to ask "Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?", having included an independence referendum policy in their manifesto for the 2011 election.

I think we have son-of-Salmond here.
The UK government have a duty to ensure the question is fair and unbiased and clear.
So does the electoral commission.

Ha. Do you never tire of embarrassing yourself on this topic? No. No, you don't.

The UK government and Scottish government have worked cooperatively and consensually in producing the agreement which devolved the power to the Scottish Parliament to hold the referendum. The Scottish government will do exactly as any UK govt would do in holding a referendum, same rules apply. Are you really suggesting (I know you are) that the Scottish Parliament is less trustworthy than Westminister? How odd. Why ARE Scots so devious, please tell me?

As for the Electoral Commission, that is indeed their role. To scrutinise the process and the question, and ADVISE a Parliament (in this case Holyrood) on the question specifically after they have tested it. Personally I suspect the Scottish Parliament will approve any changes they recommend, but it will only be a recommendation. Keep in mind, the original question put forward by Clegg for the AV referendum was changed after EC advice. Was Clegg being "slimy" as you earlier referred to Alex Salmond? And just last year the UK government ... overruled the EC on a referendum wording! (SHOCK!!!!!)

Briefly, by way of providing that contextual background, the Government proposed in the House in the Localism Bill, which was enacted in 2011, that we move from a system in which protection for council tax payers against excessive council tax increases was afforded by means of capping to one in which protection will be provided through a referendum, and the draft regulations will bring that into force. We have consulted with the Electoral Commission, as we are required to, and although we have accepted most of its proposals, we disagreed with its suggestion for the wording. I think that those of us who have served in local government would recognise that the wording we have adopted is more appropriate.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 202s01.htm

Hilarious!

[ronmcd]

I thought the choice of question was supposed to be the work of Cameron et al, in that they wanted to present the Scottish voters with a straight "yes" or "no", with no middle ground "devo-max" option.

Would that mean everyone in Scotland has to dress like Devo?

I know I do!

[ronmcd]

I think we have son-of-Salmond here.

Incidentally, do you always have to insult or smear* those who hold differing opinions to your own? Just wondering. It's a most attractive trait, no doubt about it.

(*You obviously think being compared to Salmond is an insult, me, not so much )

[Rum]

I thought the choice of question was supposed to be the work of Cameron et al, in that they wanted to present the Scottish voters with a straight "yes" or "no", with no middle ground "devo-max" option.

No. Part of the deal is that Salmon got to make up the question.

[ronmcd]

No. Part of the deal is that Salmon got to make up the question.

Mmm, a fishy plebiscite.

[mistermack]

(*You obviously think being compared to Salmond is an insult, me, not so much

My point exactly.

[ronmcd]

(*You obviously think being compared to Salmond is an insult, me, not so much

My point exactly.

Play the man, mistermack, play the man. Good work!

[Jason]

Westminister's preferred question:

Should Scotlandshire be ripped from all that is good and honourable, and cast adrift into the North Sea to wither and die in separation?

[Jason]

To put it into perspective, the opposite question, worded the same, would be:

"Do you agree that Scotland should be part of the United Kingdom".

ronmcd, if you think the wording is fair and/or doesn't matter much, would you be happy with this question?

Excellent point, well put.

No, it's not. It's silly. How stupid do you think people are? Do you honestly believe this issue, based on a semantic quibble, will even register with people? No it won't. It will be overshadowed by the real question: Scottish independence - yes or no?

I don't see anyone thinking to themselves 'Well I agree Scotland should be an independent country because that's a subjunctive and not really a vote for independence.'