CatalàEnglish Site map Back to main page

British prime minister David Cameron agrees that the Scottish independence referendum can be held, but only if it is done immediately and with a two-option question. These are the two conditions that the UK premier has set so that the British cabinet officially recognises the referendum process in Scotland. First reactions from Edinburgh have criticised Cameron's move.

These conditions have been put forward by Cameron in an interview on Sky News, where he has acknowledged that the UK "can't stand in the way of a part of the UK if it wants to ask the question 'are we better off outside it?". But this question should be formulated in "a fair, clear and decisive" way, which means that a 'yes-no' vote is one of the two conditions that Cameron wants the Scottish Government to accept. Instead, Scottish premier Alex Salmond wants to hold a referendum with multiple options: full independence, 'devolution max' (very close to independence but still within the UK) or statu quo.

The second condition by Cameron is to have an early vote on independence, before 2014. The British premier considers that uncertainty on this issue is "very damaging for Scotland" since "business is asking: 'is Scotland be part of the UK, should I invest?...'". But Salmond has already made it clear that he wants to organize the referendum on the second half of his current mandate, that is in 2015 or 2016.

Cameron accused of "attempting to interfere" in Scottish democracy

Cameron's proposals have not been well received in Edinburgh. Scottish deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon considers them "a blatant attempt to interfere in the decision that is really one for the Scottish Government in terms of the timing of the referendum and for the Scottish people in terms of the outcome". Sturgeon recalled SNP's promise to first "strengthen the Scotland Bill" in order to give "the Scottish Parliament important economic job-creating powers", and only then calling "a referendum on independence in the second half of this parliamentary term".

(Picture: David Cameron / United Kingdom Home Office)

Further information:

• Sky News: Cameron Hints At Early Scottish Referendum
• BBC News: Cameron denies 'dictating' terms of Scottish referendum

Scotland/Alba

General information
Population: 5.116.900 inhabitants (2005)
Area: 78.772 km²
Institutions: Government of Scotland
State administration: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Major cities: Edinburgh, Glasgow
Territorial language: Scottish Gaelic, Scots
Official language: English, Scottish Gaelic and Scots
National Day: 30 November
Major religion: Christianity (Protestantism)