Scottish independence: 67% have vote data concerns

Two-thirds of voters are unsure about the veracity of information regarding the Scottish independence debate, a new survey shows. Picture: TSPL

The study also found that only one in seven people though they were very well informed about the issues being debated in the run-up to the September 18 vote while almost one in 10 said they were not at all informed.

The Law Society commissioned the poll and its president Bruce Beveridge said that politicians and others had to “work harder to ensure people feel they can make an informed choice come September”.

A total of 1,006 people across Scotland were questioned by polling company Ipsos MORI for the research, which found 14% of people regarded themselves as being very well informed about the issues being debated ahead of the referendum while 42% said they were fairly well informed.

But 34% said they were not well informed and 9% answered that they were not at all informed about the issues.

The research was carried out between November 29 and December 5 - shortly after the Scottish Government had launched its white paper on independence.

When asked if they found it difficult to decide whether information being provided in the debate was true or not, 34% strongly agreed while 33% tended to agree with this.

Four out of 10 people said the debate so far had been helpful in deciding how they would vote in the ballot, with 15% of those questioned strongly agreeing with this and a further 25% tending to agree.

More than half of those polled said the debate had been interesting “for people like me”, with 21% strongly agreeing with this and a further 32% tending to agree.

But 54% thought the debate had not so far covered the issues that were important to them, with 30% strongly agreeing with this and 24% tending to agree.

Meanwhile, just 9% strongly agreed that the debate so far had been too aggressive, with another 17% tending to agree with this.

The Scottish Government said it is important that those on both sides of the debate do as much as they can to engage and inform voters in the run-up to the referendum.

Mr Beveridge said: “This is an exciting and quite possibly pivotal time for Scotland.

“The importance of the question facing us in September, described as the biggest for our nation in 300 years, demands a thorough and worthy debate.

“This poll shows that, with only nine months to go, many Scots still do not feel properly informed.

“Over half say the debate is not covering the issues they care about. And as many as two-thirds are finding it difficult to decide whether or not the information they are getting is true.”

He added: “The responsibility to engage people and to ensure the right questions are being asked and answered on both sides of the debate lies not just with politicians and the official referendum campaigns, but also with companies and organisations.

“Civic Scotland, including the Law Society of Scotland, has to work harder to ensure people feel they can make an informed choice come September.

“As part of our commitment, we will be publishing more information in the next few months to help inform the debate.

“We will continue to scrutinise the proposals, both from those who advocate independence and from those who wish to remain within the UK.

“We will also be partnering with others to deliver a series of events that will allow a more detailed exploration of a range of issues.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “In 2014 Scotland will decide its future, and it is important that those on both sides of the debate do as much as they can to engage and inform voters in the run-up to the referendum.

“The publication of Scotland’s Future your guide to an independent Scotland has set out the transformational opportunities of independence for Scotland, answers over 600 questions about independence and is now out there for people to read, scrutinise and judge.

“It is now incumbent on those opposed to independence to provide the same level of information.

“We will be making sure that voters are kept informed and engaged, and in the months ahead people will be given the opportunity to quiz Scottish Ministers in a series of public meetings taking place across the country.”

A Better Together spokesman said: “We are being asked to take one of the biggest decisions in Scottish history.

“The campaigns are working to get information out to people across the country about the impact of going it alone on our jobs, pensions and public services.

“However, we need others to get involved and to speak out. The Nationalists only need to win once and by one vote for Scotland to buy a one way ticket to a deeply uncertain destination.

“There is a strong positive case for Scotland remaining in the UK, which is supported by evidence rather than assertion. We will continue to make that case over the coming nine months.

“Today we have the best of both worlds, with a strong Scottish Parliament taking decisions about our schools, hospitals and childcare, and we benefit from being part of the larger UK.

“Why would we want to trade the strength and security of the UK for the risk and uncertainty of independence?”

A spokesman for the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign said: “We know that as people become more informed, they tend to move to Yes, so it is an absolute priority for us to make sure that people in Scotland are well informed.

“Our website has a wealth of information for those wanting to learn more about the benefits of a Yes vote and the Scottish Government’s recent white paper - Scotland’s Future - provides the most detailed blueprint any country has ever had at the point of independence.

“What is missing is an equivalent document from the No campaign, setting out what will happen to the powers of the Scottish Parliament and to the funding of Scottish public services if we vote No in September.

“There is an absolute requirement on the No campaign to answer the questions and provide this information to the people of Scotland.”