Buck Stops Here

The public debate on Scotland's independence referendum continues apace - with everybody and their uncle having a say - and rightly so.

Now to me this is a good thing - because big issues that were for so long reserved to politicians and media commentators - are now the subject of everyday discussion.

Slowly but sure the professional opinion formers are having to explain their views - and are having them challenged - often very vigorously.

Which makes life a whole lot more interesting than just listening to the same dreary voices - over and over again - in the newspapers and on the television or radio.

Now I read something the other day - that caught my attention - an article in one of the newspapers I think.

The argument being advanced boiled down to this:

'Why doesn't the Scottish Government just shut its gob, hand the whole thing over to an 'independent body' - like the Electoral Commission - which can decide on the question or questions to ask (only 1 or more), who should vote (over 18s only - or 16 and 17-year olds) and when the referendum should take place (2014 or sooner)?'

And what made me laugh is the fact that all of these big issues are thoroughly political issues - of course.

So why hive them off to a small independent committee to decide - when we have our own Scottish Parliament. 

Once the big issues are decided - in principle at least - I can't see any reason for not asking a body like the Electoral Commission to oversee the process.

But a little hand-picked committee is not the place to decide on which question to ask in a referendum - or how many questions to ask the voting public.

Nor is a small committee the place to determine who should vote and when the referendum should take place - to my mind anyway.

Lots of independent bodies exist to advise both the Scottish and Westminster governments - but their terms of reference are always laid down by ministers on behalf of the two parliaments - especially when controversial issues are involved.

So they don't - and never have had a completely a free hand to do exactly as they like - because their advice and recommendations always come back to ministers and/or the relevant parliament for ultimate approval.

When did you last see a government - Labour, Tory or anything else - give an independent 'pay review' body a free hand - for example?

Never is the answer - and it will never happen either - because of the potential resource implications and the precedent this would set for the way in which governments - of all parties and persuasions - go about their business.

So as much as I like to see independent-minded people involved in the business of good government - both local and national - sometimes the buck has to stop with the elected politicians.