That argument applies equally to anything, but we have to have some criterion as to which issues warrant a referendum. There has never been an election where the majority of the Scottish electorate, or even of those voting, voted for parties supporting it. It's quite unlikely that we will this time.
If we're going to have referendums on issues on that sort of trigger, then we're going to have a hell of a lot of referendums. If not, then why are we saying that this one issue is different?
On what grounds, then, are they blocking that referendum?
I really don't understand why you think they're going to be blocking anything. If the Scottish people vote for parties supporting independence, then there'll be a referendum whatever the LDP do. The fact that they aren't personally going to vote for it (in line with the policies they stood on) isn't blocking anything.
If the public want independence, then the public has to elect politicians who support it and push it through - it's the public's job. People who oppose it are under no obligation to help out. Tony Benn once said that politicians can be divided into signposts and weather-vanes. Personally, I would like to think that if I vote for, and help elect, an MSP who supports certain policies, then they'll generally pursue those policies rather than changing their mind whenever they think it appropriate.
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Date: 2007-02-21 02:36 pm (UTC)If we're going to have referendums on issues on that sort of trigger, then we're going to have a hell of a lot of referendums. If not, then why are we saying that this one issue is different?
On what grounds, then, are they blocking that referendum?
I really don't understand why you think they're going to be blocking anything. If the Scottish people vote for parties supporting independence, then there'll be a referendum whatever the LDP do. The fact that they aren't personally going to vote for it (in line with the policies they stood on) isn't blocking anything.
If the public want independence, then the public has to elect politicians who support it and push it through - it's the public's job. People who oppose it are under no obligation to help out. Tony Benn once said that politicians can be divided into signposts and weather-vanes. Personally, I would like to think that if I vote for, and help elect, an MSP who supports certain policies, then they'll generally pursue those policies rather than changing their mind whenever they think it appropriate.