Reporting bias
What should have been a serious discussion has been reduced to a sequence of conflicting statements by economists of various cults, each pronouncement being delivered with the assured confidence so often associated with party loyalty or mendacity. Confusion is compounded by the naive belief that information provided by the Treasury or other parts of Whitehall must be completely reliable.
What makes the situation so much worse is the fact that most of the information about important constitutional issues is provided to the public by parochial, London-based newspapers.
The BBC struggles to provide a balanced view but, alas, usually fails.
(Dr) Peter Dryburgh
Newbattle Terrace
Edinburgh