Tom Peterkin: The First Minister has a lot of work ahead if he wants a two-question ballot

‘THERE is no second question to ask,” Michael Moore confidently asserted when he addressed the National Business Convention in Edinburgh yesterday morning.

As he reiterated the UK government’s unequivocal refusal to countenance a two-question independence referendum, the Scottish Secretary appeared determined to put the squeeze on Alex Salmond and the SNP.

His attempt to up the ante was intensified with Moore emphasising that the terms of the referendum had to be finalised by the end of October this year if Salmond is to succeed in his ambition to hold the poll in October 2014.

It is hard to disagree with Moore’s argument that the technicalities of the referendum should be sorted out soon, so that we can move on to what the Scottish Secretary described as the “great debate itself” – the substance of what independence would actually mean for Scotland.

On the face of it, Moore’s argument that the poll should be limited to one question appears convincing and entirely logical. All the pro-Union parties want a single question, while the SNP’s official stance, which is backed by many of the party’s grassroots, is for just one question.

The Scottish Government’s response to Moore’s words, however, indicated what has long been suspected – that the pragmatist in Salmond is hankering after a second question offering a “devo max” option.

As it was put yesterday by the spokesman for Bruce Crawford, Cabinet Secretary for Government Strategy, “It is only right that matters such as a ‘more powers’ option are carefully and properly considered, which is exactly what the Scottish Government is doing.”

With the Scottish Government expected to publish its referendum consultation proposals shortly, the pro-Union parties are waiting to see what it will say on this issue, especially since there are already huge question marks over the credibility of a drive for a multi-option ballot.

Salmond has said that he would approve a two-question poll if there was a demand for one from “civic Scotland”.

So far, however, the voice of civic Scotland has been closely identified with that of Martin Sime, the chief executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).

Recently it has been revealed that the Scottish Government and Sime had communicated on the two-question issue. Sime has also been on a Scottish Government-funded sabbatical.

Moreover, the publication of an SCVO paper, written by Sime, showing that he wanted SCVO to lobby for a second question merely added to the impression that there has been an attempt to engineer a multi-option poll.

On that basis, it appears that if Salmond wants to win an argument for two questions, the First Minister has quite a bit of work to do.