Parties urged to embrace assemblies

Scotland’s political parties should be “open to learning” and willing to accept the outcome of a citizens’ assembly on the nation’s future, campaigners have said.

The Scottish Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have both refused to take part, describing the assembly initiative as a ‘stunt’ which was designed to boost the case for independence.

But the Electoral Reform Society Scotland has urged political parties to abandon partisanship and get behind the initiative.

“Old-fashioned party politics and binary divides have failed to provide solutions that Scots can unite around,” said Electoral Reform Society Scotland director Willie Sullivan.

“Citizens’ assemblies offer a way to ensure deep, informed public involvement on big and often contentious political issues, finding a way forward,” Mr Sullivan added.