More politics

[andrewducker]

Lib Dems turn down a coalition. And nobody will dare share power with the Conservatives.

So it's a minority SNP government for the next few years. And we won't get a referendum. Which is a shame, because the answer would be a solid "No." and then we could get on with our lives.

Comments

Re: Referendum

[0olong.livejournal.com]

There is also the issue that referendums are generally hugely expensive and time-consuming.

Still seems pretty stupid to rule it out, but that is in many cases quite a good reason for not having one - particularly when polls are pretty unequivocal about a large majority of people being decided one way or the other (and particularly when that majority favours the status quo).

I'm inclined to see the whole referendum issue as a massive red herring, really...

Re: Referendum

[wordofblake.livejournal.com]

It could wll be a Red Herring, but I still think it is more than a little odd to rule it out. If there is no mandate for independence then a referendum will show that and legitimise a continued union.

Yes, it would cost money to run, but if they think it will go their way why oppose it. If it is so likely to go against what the SNP want then why are they so keen on it?

I think that both sides probably feel there would be a low pro-union turnout due to complacency, and a high pro-independence turnout due to the more passionate mature of that stance.

The expectation of a vote in favour of independence is the only thing that makes sense of both sides' views to me.

Re: Referendum

[khbrown.livejournal.com]

Expensive and time-consuming - couldn't the same thing be said about many of the elements of democracy, like elections??

Not that this is an argument against democracy, as I still prefer it to the alternatives.

Re: Referendum

[0olong.livejournal.com]

Well, yes. This is one reason we only have elections every few years. Of course it's also an argument for coming up with more efficient ways of running elections, and/or trying to think of whole different ways of administering democracy...