So, Alex Salmond has named his date for the independence referendum: August 2014, a few weeks after the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. David Cameron wanted it earlier, and may yet refuse to grant Salmond this date — No10 hasn’t yet responded. Cameron was forcing the issue on the grounds that he wanted to end uncertainty — Salmond is now offering certainty, at least in terms of timing.
But he hasn’t said whether he wants a two- or three-question referendum. This is crucial, because Salmond is likely to lose an independence referendum and he knows it. So his game plan will be to have a third option, a consolation prize, so he doesn’t walk away from this empty handed. One option facing Cameron is to grant Salmond the August 2014 date, on condition that it is a yes-no question. Or Cameron could refuse to budge, and tell Salmond that the referendum will be held in the next two years or not at all.
As we have seen, Salmond’s rich friends are capable of staging referenda on issues that they consider important enough (Brian Souter of Stagecoach fame did so on Section 28).
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