Indy third option just a ‘pig in a poke’
Ex-Yes campaign chief says choice would leave powers with Westminster
CALLS for voters to be offered a third option in a future poll on Scottish independence have been dismissed as a “pig in a poke” by a former Yes campaign chief.
Dennis Canavan said Scots should be given a straight choice between remaining part of the Union or independence.
The former Labour MP – who served as chair of the Yes campaign’s advisory board during the 2014 referendum campaign – rejected devo max being included on a ballot paper.
It could see Holyrood handed full powers over the economy – but foreign affairs and defence matters would be reserved to Westminster. Debate raged among nationalists last week after a former SNP policy chief Chris Hanlon declared devo max should be a third option in IndyRef2.
Canavan told the Record that previous attempts to strengthen Holyrood had fallen short and proved the idea could not be taken seriously.
He criticised the Smith Commission – which saw parties work together to strengthen Holyrood after the 2014 referendum – “as hopelessly inadequate”.
He told the Record: “It was doomed to failure because it was a panic measure – based on expediency rather than democratic principle.” He added: “If unionists now want to put devo max on a referendum ballot paper they should spell out exactly what they mean by it.
“Otherwise they are asking people to vote for a pig in a poke.
“Under any model of devo max, many of the most important powers would still be retained by Westminster – including foreign affairs, defence, immigration and the economy.
“The people of Scotland would therefore be unable to decide on important matters such as currency, nuclear weapons and our relations with Europe and the rest of the world. Only an independent Scotland would guarantee such decisions affecting the people of Scotland are taken by the people of Scotland.
“That is why they should be given a clear and unambiguous choice between the status quo and independence.”
Leading polling expert Professor John Curtice yesterday warned that recent polls suggested devo max was less popular than the status quo or independence.
The Glasgow-based academic said: “Devo max does not address the issue that now fuels much of the support for independence – opposition to Brexit.”
Last week Kevin Stewart, the Scottish Government’s social care minister, described Hanlon’s third choice proposal as “idiotic, foolish, nonsensical”.