I’d say that Wendy Alexander had lost the plot over the referendum issue, but that would be to suggest she ever had the plot to lose…Labour took a total kicking in the English and Welsh local elections last week and Alexander’s response smacks rather of panic.
Personally, I dislike referenda. There was actually a referendum on the Scottish constitutional question last year – it was called the Scottish Parliamentary elections – and parties clearly supporting the union won that particular referendum hands down.
And … there will be another “referendum” in 2011 – the next Scottish parliamentary elections. If the SNP and the minor parties who support the break up of the UK get a majority of the votes, separation would follow. Don’t hold your breath.
The last estimate of the cost of a referendum – to my knowledge – was £7 million. That would build a new primary school, or go a long way towards a new hospital.
I think LibDem MSP Robert Brown summed it up perfectly today,
“Wendy Alexander’s suggestion is manifestly based on tactics not principle and is a panic response from a Labour Party in freefall after last week’s English and Welsh elections.
“Politicians should not support referendums on policies which they do not back. That is why the Liberal Democrats could not form an administration last year with the SNP.
“It is bad enough that we have to put up with Alex Salmond’s constant humbug about a referendum on independence without the Labour Party thinking that they can use one to call the SNP’s bluff. The political point scoring from both parties is unacceptable.
“Scottish voters will not look kindly on politicians who put themselves and their party above the best interests of the country.”