Referendum Milestone Reached with Unanimous Agreement to Section 30 Order

A key milestone on the path towards the referendum on an independent Scotland was reached today as the Referendum (Scotland) Bill Committee at Holyrood unanimously approved powers to allow the referendum to be staged.

The agreement to the use of a Section 30 order is intended to put the referendum beyond effective legal challenge, to ensure that it is the people of Scotland rather than the courts who will decide the future of Scotland.

Commenting, SNP MSP Linda Fabiani who sits on the Referendum (Scotland) Bill Committee said:

“Today’s agreement marks an important milestone on the journey towards the referendum and I was extremely pleased that agreement was reached on a unanimous, cross-party basis.

“This latest progress on the road to the referendum matters as it allows us to move from discussing the process of the referendum to the substance of the debate.

“We are making the positive case for an independent Scotland that protects and builds upon the substantial progress that has been made since the Scottish Parliament was re-established in 1999.

“It is inescapably true that the people who are best placed to make decisions affecting Scotland are people in Scotland, who by definition have the greatest stake in what happens here.

“Only a Yes vote in 2014 will allow us to make the decisions on the biggest issues affecting Scotland and I am looking forward to making the case for those powers between now and 2014.”