JOURNALIST Andrew Neil has been accused of joining an “unholy alliance” with George Galloway to “rig” the next independence referendum rules.
Former Labour MP Galloway, who is currently leading the anti-independence Alliance for Unity party, said this week that “all Scots” living anywhere in the UK should be allowed to have a say in a future vote – arguing that Scotland should use similar rules to Westminster, which allows British citizens living abroad who have been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years to cast a ballot in General Elections.
Under the Referendums (Scotland) Act 2020, those wishing to have a say on future votes must be an EU or Commonwealth citizen aged over 16 currently residing in Scotland. The same rules applied in the 2014 indyref.
Galloway's comments sparked a row, with many asking how a Scot living in the rest of the UK could be defined in order to legislate on such a rule.
READ MORE: Michael Gove and George Galloway spark anger with indyref2 voting rights claims
Neil insisted the test for such a policy “would be simple” – a person would have to be “born in Scotland” and on the UK electoral register.
“End of,” he added.
Neil’s comments came as a new Panelbase poll put support for Scottish independence at 55%.
Bella Caledonia commented: “What is the response of Unionists to new polling? Repress democracy. George Galloway and Andrew Neil competing in panic.”
National contributor James Kelly added: “A curious unholy alliance between Andrew Neil and George Galloway, trying to rig the next indyref franchise. But ironically this would disbar English people resident in Scotland, and thus quite possibly lead to a net increase in the Yes vote.”
A curious unholy alliance between Andrew Neil and George Galloway, trying to rig the next indyref franchise. But ironically this would disbar English people resident in Scotland, and thus quite possibly lead to a net increase in the Yes vote.https://t.co/nj7hdLE30B
— James Kelly (@JamesKelly) August 19, 2020
Others questioned the logic of Neil’s scheme. Philip McLean replied: “There's no way my London born son (we moved back to Scotland when he was 1) would consider himself English.”
After prompting hundreds of furious responses, Neil later backtracked to say people wanting to vote wouldn’t need to be born in Scotland after all.
He explained: “1) Everybody on Scottish electoral roll gets to vote, residence in Scotland being the sole necessary qualification.
“2). If not Scotland resident but born in Scotland and on UK electoral roll, you also get to vote.
“Simples.”
The proposal to allow people born in Scotland but living elsewhere in the UK has sparked a major row, with Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove wading in last night to say it was an “interesting” question.
Former SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson called the comments from Gove, Neil and Galloway “desperate and undemocratic” while political blogger Jon Worth said they were on a “slippery slope”.
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