Leader: Untangle the ‘strings’ and let the people have their say

CARPE diem. With a theatrical flourish and the sense of daring self-confidence which has made him the pre-eminent politician on these islands, Alex Salmond seized the political day yesterday by declaring his intention to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in the autumn of 2014.

The First Minister’s typically bold move came on the day his opponents thought they might have cornered the SNP leader, with Scottish Secretary Michael Moore’s offering to legitimise a referendum through legislation at Westminster, while setting conditions on the conduct of the plebiscite.

Mr Moore and his Conservative coalition colleagues should have known better. Mr Salmond was never going to let them set the agenda on the cause to which he has dedicated his political lifetime. And so, within an hour of Mr Moore’s Commons statement, the First Minister announced the Scottish Cabinet’s decision on timing.

However, while we might admire Mr Salmond’s sense of timing, we must look beyond the statesman-like broadcasts from Bute House – complete with a background of Saltires – at what the SNP and the coalition are proposing, at where they agree and differ.

First, Mr Salmond accepted the idea of Westminster giving Holyrood the power to hold the referendum under section 30 of the Scotland Act. He rejected what he called the strings which Westminster sought to attach, in particular the supervision of the plebiscite by the Electoral Commission and the refusal to lower the voting age to 16. It is our oft-repeated view that the commission, not a body appointed by SNP-dominated Holyrood, is essential to ensure the question is fairly posed and the vote properly conducted.

Though there may be a case for votes for 16-year-olds, the idea smacks of an SNP attempt to maximise its vote.

Yet if Mr Salmond is prepared to make the “section 30” offer then, by implication, he accepts the legitimacy of Westminster having a role, which it does while Scotland remains part of the UK. And so, although the coalition wants the vote “sooner rather than later”, it cannot hope for it to be held before next year. Even on the date, then, the two sides are not so far apart.

If the SNP agrees on section 30, accepts a role for the commission and backs down on the franchise, would autumn 2014 really be a sticking point, even though there are fears that, coming after the Commonwealth Games, there might be an upsurge in nationalism exploited by the SNP? We think not, and it is significant that the date was not dismissed by the other parties last night.

So, where do we go from here? Given that Mr Moore has struck a measured tone and Mr Salmond is relatively conciliatory, there must be room for the two governments to negotiate. The Scottish people will expect their governments to work together to agree to the test of their opinion all are agreed will happen.

They should get on with doing so.