Power to the People

One of the important things that is emerging from the referendum on Scottish independence is the fact that it has energised political debate, so much so that everyone, on both sides of the YES/NO argument, is confidently predicting a high turnout, perhaps as much as 80% of the electorate. 

Which is hugely encouraging when you consider the poor turnouts in other elections, less than 30% in some cases, but more than than it ought to give politicians some pause for though about the benefits of more 'direct democracy' by holding more referendums in this modern age.  

Why don't the Scottish people have their say on the big issues of the day, as they do in other parts of the world - in Switzerland or California, for example, where key issues are put to a public plebiscite instead off being decided in the equivalent of the Scottish Parliament, House of Commons or House of Lords?

Now a referendum does not necessarily lend itself to complex issues or course, especially where there is a variety of possible outcomes, but they do come into their own in deciding matters of principle such as: "Should Scotland become and independent country?".

Because have decided the question of principle, the politicians that we elect to various 'parliaments' or bodies are then charged with putting the wishes of the voters into practice.

So why not have a referendum on the issue of 'assisted dying', for example, which is one where politicians everywhere seem to be out of step with the views of the people they claim to represent?

If Scotland had held a referendum on the question of having two questions on the independence ballot paper, all the opinion polls tells us that a big majority of Scots would have voted in favour of Devo Max and more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

But the Westminster parties ganged up to deny people that choice which is why, as a general rule political parties don't like 'direct democracy' because it puts the ordinary voter in charge, or more in charge at least.

So whatever happens on 18 September, I hope the genie is now out of the bottle because the big winner over Scottish independence is that the people will have had their say - and that feels good to me whether the result is Yes or No, so long as we build on that for the future.