Franchise for independence referendum vote

I was struck to note the recent furore over the

idea that those Scots in in the rest of the UK should be given the right to vote in any forthcoming independence referendum.

This, of course, highlights the worst excesses of ethnic nationalism. The actions of a British government which, it should be remembered, excluded EU nationals from the right to vote in the EU referendum despite the fact they live here, yet allowed British citizens living abroad the right to participate.

This is opposed to the civic nationalism of the Scottish Government, that those living in Scotland should dictate the nation’s constitutional future, pure and simple.

The precedent for this franchise was established in the devolution referendum of 1997 and the independence referendum of 2014, so it would be odd to alter it on this occasion.

Not trying to be too cynical, but with the Unionist side now well behind there may be a belief that this vote can somehow be gerrymandered by opening it up to those Scots, however that is defined, living in the rest of the UK.

One can imagine the outcry there would be however should those Scots, who don’t even live in Scotland, tilt the balance in favour of the nation remaining in the Union or indeed becoming independent.

It is, of course, only right and proper that those living in Scotland should dictate our future and all attempts should be made to resist any alternative.

Alex Orr, Edinburgh.