MICHAEL Gove has been accused of trying to bully the Electoral Commission after it was formally asked to re-test the question which would be used in a Scottish independence referendum.
The Tory minister has come under fire from Michael Russell after he penned a letter to commission chairman Sir John Holmes.
In it, Gove claims a request by the First Minister to review the question for a new independence referendum is a “a poor use of time”.
Hitting back, Russell tweeted: “It is a ‘poor use of time’ for a U.K. Government Minister to try to interfere with & bully an independent statutory body.
“Given the disaster that is #Brexit Gove should be giving all his attention to mitigating its effect on businesses & England’s failing public services.”
It is a “poor use of time” for a U.K. Government Minister to try to interfere with & bully an independent statutory body. Given the disaster that is #Brexit Gove should be giving all his attention to mitigating its effect on businesses & England’s failing public services. https://t.co/TrIcIeC9xU
— Michael Russell (@Feorlean) March 9, 2020
Nicola Sturgeon announced in January that she was asking the Electoral Commission to formally "re-test" the question "should Scotland be an independent country?"
But Gove dismissed the move as an attempt to convince SNP members that a indyref2 is “imminent”.
READ MORE: Scottish Tory who lost seat made adviser on Union matters at Westminster
In his letter to the Electoral Commission chairman, the Cabinet Office Minister wrote: "The Electoral Commission of course has an important role in testing the suitability of referendum questions where there is a referendum in prospect.
"However, there is no lawful referendum on Scottish independence in prospect and in view of that, I believe the Scottish Government’s request to you represents a poor use of time, resource and public money and is an exercise designed to persuade Scottish National Party members that a referendum is imminent."
The Cabinet Office has been approached for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel