Are Citizen Assembly events really anything more than a self-fulfilling ruse?

I watched the Citizen Assembly event on livestream. The session was mostly about the concept and process, with little discussion about potential topics, other than the constitution.

There was little clarity on how participants are selected or how their knowledge of the topic (known as “learning”) will be raised to a level commensurate with the task.

Six sessions will be held, one in Edinburgh, the other five “on the west coast”, and all three Scots on Monday’s panel – Lesley Riddoch, Joanna Cherry and chairman David Martin – are independence supporters. Not exactly inclusive or non-partisan!

It was unclear why such a toxic subject as the constitution has to be the first topic for such an untested concept, especially since, in a recent poll only nine per cent of Scots listed it in their top three issues, way behind NHS and social care (71 per cent),education (35 per cent) and housing (21 per cent). These are devolved matters whose core problems (eg pupil behaviour, Curriculum for Excellence, obesity, cost) are never tackled by politicians and would benefit from the outsourced, apolitical examination, debate and recommendations a Citizen Assembly could provide.

The topic is, whether Brexit means Scexit, so how will the participants’ knowledge be raised to the required level of objectivity and detail ?

Who will deliver impartial “learning” on the viability and outlook of a separate Scottish economy, the cost, complexity and length of transition, cultural issues, citizenship, pensions, defence, borders and policing. Will participants get a rosy SNP story or more hard-nosed updates from experts in their field?

Onmonday’sevidencechairman David Martin, and his advisor, Oliver Escobar, have an uphill task to convince Scots this isn’t just another SNP ruse to provide some dodgy evidence of support for independence. They’re risking their and Scotland’s reputations in the process.

ALLAN SUTHERLAND Willow Row, Stonehaven

Can I be alone in being somewhat befuddled as to what the purpose is of the so called Citizen Assembly which the Scottish Government is presently racing towards establishing?

We already have a 129-member “citizen assembly” at Holyrood and a “citizen assembly” in each of our 32 local councils all of which we taxpayers pay dearly. Surely these existing “assemblies” should be more than sufficient to represent the people in the country!

Could it be that this initiative is an admission that the existing “assemblies” are failing to address the real issues facing the country? If so, then why do we need them?

GEORGE LINDSAY Whinfield Gardens, Kinross