SNP boycott would stir memories of 1973 vote in Northern Ireland

One lurking danger of London trying to seize control of a referendum on Scottish independence is that it could lead to a boycott by disgruntled Nationalists.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already accused the UK coalition of attempting to “interfere” in the Scottish democratic process.

If Westminster was to press ahead with its own poll, it is likely to lead to a situation similar to the 1973 Northern Ireland sovereignty referendum.

That vote, on whether the country should remain part of the UK or join the Republic to form a united Ireland, was seen by many as having been discredited after a Nationalist boycott, which resulted in 98.9 per cent of voters backing the status quo. However, there was a still turnout of 58.1 per cent – well above the 50 per cent at the last Holyrood election in May.

Nationalists argued that the Border Poll, as it became known, should have asked other relevant questions, such as whether the people supported a UK white paper on Northern Ireland, to avoid it becoming a “sectarian head count”.

Two months before the March poll, the left-leaning Social Democratic and Labour Party called on its members to boycott the referendum, branding the UK government “extremely irresponsible” over the way it had handled the poll.

The government of the United Kingdom took no action in the aftermath of the referendum, as the result was in favour of the status quo.

The referendum was followed by an assembly election in June.