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| Scottish independence panel suggests referendum question | Scottish independence panel suggests referendum question |
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| Scottish voters should be asked just one "short, clear and unbiased" question on whether Scotland should be an independent state, a panel of experts set up by the anti-independence parties has recommended. | Scottish voters should be asked just one "short, clear and unbiased" question on whether Scotland should be an independent state, a panel of experts set up by the anti-independence parties has recommended. |
| The three-member panel set up by Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems said the referendum should simply ask Scotland's 4 million voters to agree or disagree with a neutral six-word statement that "Scotland should be an independent state". | The three-member panel set up by Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems said the referendum should simply ask Scotland's 4 million voters to agree or disagree with a neutral six-word statement that "Scotland should be an independent state". |
| The panel, headed by Lord Stewart Sutherland, former principal of Edinburgh University, said the referendum should not be muddled by posing a second, separate question on giving Holyrood extra powers within the UK – a case being made forcibly by David Cameron, the prime minister. | |
| But Sutherland's group disputed complaints by the pro-UK parties that the Scottish government's preferred question – "Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?" – was biased in favour of a "yes" vote. | But Sutherland's group disputed complaints by the pro-UK parties that the Scottish government's preferred question – "Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?" – was biased in favour of a "yes" vote. |
| The panel, which included Ron Gould, a Canadian specialist on elections, said that "as a general rule" there was little evidence that a loaded referendum question would automatically lead to a different result. | The panel, which included Ron Gould, a Canadian specialist on elections, said that "as a general rule" there was little evidence that a loaded referendum question would automatically lead to a different result. |
| Studies by Max Qvortrup, a panel member from Cranfield University who specialises in referendums, said analysis of 35 previous votes internationally on sovereignty and self-government had shown that in some cases "emotive" questions had failed to produce a positive result. | Studies by Max Qvortrup, a panel member from Cranfield University who specialises in referendums, said analysis of 35 previous votes internationally on sovereignty and self-government had shown that in some cases "emotive" questions had failed to produce a positive result. |
| That debate has emerged as one of the critical disputes between the Scottish government and the pro-UK parties after the question chosen by Alex Salmond, the first minister, was roundly criticised as biased by leading opinion pollsters earlier this year. | |
| Executives in the polling companies ICM and TNS-BMRB and polling expert Professor John Curtice said voters would be subconsciously influenced by Salmond's question because it asked them to "agree" with the proposition, asking voters to choose between the positive word "yes" or negative word "no". | |
| The SNP is very keen to pose a "yes/no" question because it will force their opponents to take up the negative "no" campaign. Comparisons by polling companies have shown that more people vote "yes" to Salmond's preferred question than they do with a more neutral version. | The SNP is very keen to pose a "yes/no" question because it will force their opponents to take up the negative "no" campaign. Comparisons by polling companies have shown that more people vote "yes" to Salmond's preferred question than they do with a more neutral version. |
| Sutherland said the biased questions carried the clear risk they could influence the outcome: in some previous elections that had happened. | Sutherland said the biased questions carried the clear risk they could influence the outcome: in some previous elections that had happened. |
| "It's not rocket science; it's common sense. A question should be clear, it should be understandable, it should be decisive, it should be unbiased and fair. And what's more it should be all of those and be seen to be and accepted to be all of those by all of the participating parties," Sutherland said. | "It's not rocket science; it's common sense. A question should be clear, it should be understandable, it should be decisive, it should be unbiased and fair. And what's more it should be all of those and be seen to be and accepted to be all of those by all of the participating parties," Sutherland said. |
| "In other words, we're looking for an agreement on what is clear, understandable, decisive, unbiased and fair, and it should be seen to be all of those things." | "In other words, we're looking for an agreement on what is clear, understandable, decisive, unbiased and fair, and it should be seen to be all of those things." |
| The pro-UK party leaders sidestepped the panel's nuanced views on the need for a neutral question and its refusal to insert the word "UK" into the question, insisting their case for a different question was bolstered by the findings. | The pro-UK party leaders sidestepped the panel's nuanced views on the need for a neutral question and its refusal to insert the word "UK" into the question, insisting their case for a different question was bolstered by the findings. |
| Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, said she would press Salmond to agree to a cross-party deal on the question when all the party leaders next met. | Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, said she would press Salmond to agree to a cross-party deal on the question when all the party leaders next met. |
| "The question has to be fair in order that the result properly reflects the will of the Scottish people and by endorsing the question put forward by the expert panel this ensures that no advantage can be gained from either side," she said. | "The question has to be fair in order that the result properly reflects the will of the Scottish people and by endorsing the question put forward by the expert panel this ensures that no advantage can be gained from either side," she said. |
| Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, said: "It is obvious from the panel's excellent work that a referendum is only effective when there is clarity on both the issue and the question, so this must rule out any notion of a further question on devolution which would produce nothing but confusion." | Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, said: "It is obvious from the panel's excellent work that a referendum is only effective when there is clarity on both the issue and the question, so this must rule out any notion of a further question on devolution which would produce nothing but confusion." |
| A spokesman for Bruce Crawford, the Scottish government's secretary for government strategy, said it would weigh up the Sutherland panel's views alongside the 26,000 responses to its referendum white paper consultation exercise but implied that its proposals carried little weight. | |
| "It is the job of the independent Electoral Commission to test the question proposed by the government and make recommendations, and the job of the Scottish parliament to decide – that is the process that will happen, which means that the arrangements in place in Scotland will match those for other referendums in the UK under the Westminster Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000," the spokesman said. | "It is the job of the independent Electoral Commission to test the question proposed by the government and make recommendations, and the job of the Scottish parliament to decide – that is the process that will happen, which means that the arrangements in place in Scotland will match those for other referendums in the UK under the Westminster Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000," the spokesman said. |
| Doubts that Salmond's proposed question will clear that testing process by the Electoral Commission emerged earlier this year when it warned that it was essential the wording was neutral and clear. The commission forced Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, to revise the question put in the AV referendum on changing the Westminster voting system. | Doubts that Salmond's proposed question will clear that testing process by the Electoral Commission emerged earlier this year when it warned that it was essential the wording was neutral and clear. The commission forced Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, to revise the question put in the AV referendum on changing the Westminster voting system. |
| The commission has, in turn, also warned Sutherland's panel it cannot officially consider their suggested question as its legal remit is strictly limited to dealing with an elected government or parliament, and not outside bodies. | The commission has, in turn, also warned Sutherland's panel it cannot officially consider their suggested question as its legal remit is strictly limited to dealing with an elected government or parliament, and not outside bodies. |
| Sutherland said that even so, he was confident the commission would be taking notice of the controversy, and said he believed it was essential to ask a neutral question to ensure full cross-party support and bolster the legitimacy of the final outcome. | Sutherland said that even so, he was confident the commission would be taking notice of the controversy, and said he believed it was essential to ask a neutral question to ensure full cross-party support and bolster the legitimacy of the final outcome. |
| With recent opinion polls still showing support for independence at about a third of voters or less, there is continuing debate about whether Salmond is still desperate to find an outside body from within civic Scotland to campaign for a second question on greater devolution. | With recent opinion polls still showing support for independence at about a third of voters or less, there is continuing debate about whether Salmond is still desperate to find an outside body from within civic Scotland to campaign for a second question on greater devolution. |
| Proposals for greater autonomy within the UK – the so-called devo-plus model – are frequently found to be more popular than independence, and many of Salmond's opponents believe he needs that option to avoid outright defeat at the referendum. | Proposals for greater autonomy within the UK – the so-called devo-plus model – are frequently found to be more popular than independence, and many of Salmond's opponents believe he needs that option to avoid outright defeat at the referendum. |
| Sutherland said increasing Scotland's autonomy within the UK was a matter for all British voters, and not just the Scots, because it was effectively introducing a form of federalism into the UK. The issues at stake in devolution could be debated and voted on in a general election. | Sutherland said increasing Scotland's autonomy within the UK was a matter for all British voters, and not just the Scots, because it was effectively introducing a form of federalism into the UK. The issues at stake in devolution could be debated and voted on in a general election. |
| Gould said: "The other aspect you have to consider here is when you have two questions you have two campaigns – [it's] very complex and it certainly does not lead to as much clarity. Secondly, in terms of the one question, the shorter the wording the better because what you want to get across is the objective and not how to get there." |