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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| SNP plans special referendum body | SNP plans special referendum body |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The Scottish government plans to set up a special body to run a future referendum on independence. | The Scottish government plans to set up a special body to run a future referendum on independence. |
| Ministers do not want to use the Electoral Commission which overseas Westminster elections. | Ministers do not want to use the Electoral Commission which overseas Westminster elections. |
| The plan was revealed in minutes of meetings which were obtained by the BBC under Freedom of Information. | The plan was revealed in minutes of meetings which were obtained by the BBC under Freedom of Information. |
| The draft bill on the independence referendum - which could take place as soon as 30 November - is expected to be published on Friday. | The draft bill on the independence referendum - which could take place as soon as 30 November - is expected to be published on Friday. |
| FOI DOCUMENTS Extracts from correspondence between the Electoral Commission and Scottish government officials | FOI DOCUMENTS Extracts from correspondence between the Electoral Commission and Scottish government officials |
| Email from the Scottish government, 13 March, 2009 - "We are now looking at what the question in an independence referendum might be and at some point will need to show we have properly assessed it for intelligibility, neutrality, etc." | |
| Electoral Commission minute, 22 September, 2009 - "Scottish government officials confirmed... that there was currently no provision to consult any organisation as to the intelligibility of the referendum question." | Electoral Commission minute, 22 September, 2009 - "Scottish government officials confirmed... that there was currently no provision to consult any organisation as to the intelligibility of the referendum question." |
| Electoral Commission minutes, 6 November, 2009 - "There seems little regard to the remit and role of what the Scottish Referendum Commission would actually do." Read the full exchanges obtained under FOI [2.91MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader | Electoral Commission minutes, 6 November, 2009 - "There seems little regard to the remit and role of what the Scottish Referendum Commission would actually do." Read the full exchanges obtained under FOI [2.91MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader |
| Download the reader here | Download the reader here |
| The Electoral Commission has a statutory role to run referenda called by Westminster, but has no formal role in those called by the Scottish Parliament. | The Electoral Commission has a statutory role to run referenda called by Westminster, but has no formal role in those called by the Scottish Parliament. |
| In the minutes obtained by BBC One's Politics Show, civil servants told the commission they planned to set up a new body - the Scottish Referendum Commission - to run the election. | In the minutes obtained by BBC One's Politics Show, civil servants told the commission they planned to set up a new body - the Scottish Referendum Commission - to run the election. |
| The paperwork also revealed the concerns of the Westminster commission over the wording of the questions and that the timescale towards the poll was too short. | The paperwork also revealed the concerns of the Westminster commission over the wording of the questions and that the timescale towards the poll was too short. |
| A minute from September last year said: "Scottish Government officials ... confirmed that there was currently no provision to consult any organisation as to the intelligibility of the referendum question". | A minute from September last year said: "Scottish Government officials ... confirmed that there was currently no provision to consult any organisation as to the intelligibility of the referendum question". |
| No Scottish minister would comment on the FOI minutes, however, a spokesperson said that Scottish voters already had quite recent experience of a multi-option constitutional referendum. | No Scottish minister would comment on the FOI minutes, however, a spokesperson said that Scottish voters already had quite recent experience of a multi-option constitutional referendum. |
| The Electoral Commission said that when the government sets out the referendum on full independence, it would "consider it and submit a response" using experience of planning for referendums in the UK. | The Electoral Commission said that when the government sets out the referendum on full independence, it would "consider it and submit a response" using experience of planning for referendums in the UK. |
| 'Waste of time' | 'Waste of time' |
| It added: "We are not able to comment until this public consultation is opened." | It added: "We are not able to comment until this public consultation is opened." |
| Commenting on the revelations, Scotland's Tory leader, Annabel Goldie, said First Minister Alex Salmond's "separation bill" was a "monumental waste of taxpayers' money and would fail". | Commenting on the revelations, Scotland's Tory leader, Annabel Goldie, said First Minister Alex Salmond's "separation bill" was a "monumental waste of taxpayers' money and would fail". |
| She added: "Instead of dreaming up new ways to rig a referendum, Alex Salmond should get on with what he was elected to do." | She added: "Instead of dreaming up new ways to rig a referendum, Alex Salmond should get on with what he was elected to do." |
| Scottish Labour's Pauline McNeill said the "revelations expose how the SNP is trying to rig a referendum by getting round the rules". | Scottish Labour's Pauline McNeill said the "revelations expose how the SNP is trying to rig a referendum by getting round the rules". |
| She added: "While the rest of the world is trying to get people back into work and create jobs, Alex Salmond is wasting time and money on a doomed referendum plan. | She added: "While the rest of the world is trying to get people back into work and create jobs, Alex Salmond is wasting time and money on a doomed referendum plan. |
| "The Electoral Commission is there to be the neutral referee. | "The Electoral Commission is there to be the neutral referee. |
| "By ordering the referee off the pitch, Alex Salmond is trying to avoid the scrutiny." | "By ordering the referee off the pitch, Alex Salmond is trying to avoid the scrutiny." |