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| Referendum ballot 'rigging' claim | Referendum ballot 'rigging' claim |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Labour has accused the Scottish government of trying to avoid scrutiny of its draft independence referendum bill, which it will publish this week. | Labour has accused the Scottish government of trying to avoid scrutiny of its draft independence referendum bill, which it will publish this week. |
| It has emerged the SNP administration plans to set up a special body to run a proposed referendum on independence. | It has emerged the SNP administration plans to set up a special body to run a proposed 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. |
| Scottish Labour's Pauline McNeill said the SNP was trying to take control and "rig" the referendum. | Scottish Labour's Pauline McNeill said the SNP was trying to take control and "rig" the referendum. |
| The electoral commission oversees all elections called by the Westminster parliament but has no formal role when it comes to devolved institutions. | The electoral commission oversees all elections called by the Westminster parliament but has no formal role when it comes to devolved institutions. |
| 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." | 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 |
| Documents obtained as a result of a Freedom of Information request show that the Scottish government would create a new body - the Scottish Referendum Commission - to oversee its ballot. | Documents obtained as a result of a Freedom of Information request show that the Scottish government would create a new body - the Scottish Referendum Commission - to oversee its ballot. |
| Education Secretary Michael Russell said: "The discussions which have gone on show how much we respect the Electoral Commission but a Scottish election needs to be regulated in a particular way, not by a Westminster body, and that's the issue." | Education Secretary Michael Russell said: "The discussions which have gone on show how much we respect the Electoral Commission but a Scottish election needs to be regulated in a particular way, not by a Westminster body, and that's the issue." |
| Mr Russell added: "The aim from the very beginning was to get the proper body, that was independent, that reported to the parliament and which had the tightest set of rules. | Mr Russell added: "The aim from the very beginning was to get the proper body, that was independent, that reported to the parliament and which had the tightest set of rules. |
| "When those draft rules are published later this week, I think you will realise that it is international best-practice, not UK best-practice, not English best-practice, but international best-practice for the fairest referendum it is possible to have." | "When those draft rules are published later this week, I think you will realise that it is international best-practice, not UK best-practice, not English best-practice, but international best-practice for the fairest referendum it is possible to have." |
| Ms McNeill, Scottish Labour's spokeswoman on culture and the constitution, told BBC Scotland that not using the electoral commission was "like ordering the referee off the pitch". | Ms McNeill, Scottish Labour's spokeswoman on culture and the constitution, told BBC Scotland that not using the electoral commission was "like ordering the referee off the pitch". |
| She said: "They would set up a new body which is untried, untested, under their control. | She said: "They would set up a new body which is untried, untested, under their control. |
| "So quite clearly it is an attempt to rig any question so they would have control over a referendum. | "So quite clearly it is an attempt to rig any question so they would have control over a referendum. |
| "It completely lacks integrity." | "It completely lacks integrity." |
| The Scottish Conservatives accused First Minister Alex Salmond of trying to dream up new ways of rigging a referendum. | The Scottish Conservatives accused First Minister Alex Salmond of trying to dream up new ways of rigging a referendum. |
| The Freedom of Information paperwork also revealed the concerns of the Electoral Commission over the wording of the referendum questions and that the timescale towards the poll was too short. | The Freedom of Information paperwork also revealed the concerns of the Electoral Commission over the wording of the referendum questions and that the timescale towards the poll was too short. |
| All of the main parties at Holyrood currently oppose the SNP's proposed independence referendum. | All of the main parties at Holyrood currently oppose the SNP's proposed independence referendum. |
| It will be difficult for the minority government to gain the votes it needs to put the referendum to the Scottish people. | It will be difficult for the minority government to gain the votes it needs to put the referendum to the Scottish people. |
| If the draft bill is passed, the independence referendum could take place as soon as 30 November. | If the draft bill is passed, the independence referendum could take place as soon as 30 November. |
| The bill is expected to be published on Friday. | The bill is expected to be published on Friday. |