QUESTION TIME...

I see that the SNP Leader and Scotland`s First Minister, Alex Salmond, has today called for a referendum to be held next year that he said would be a "historic" chance for the Scots to vote for independence from the United Kingdom. Now, given that we English seem to be pretty much governed by the Scots anyway (Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and the rest,) the notion that the Scots might push off and leave us in peace has a certain attraction. Maybe Hadrian got it right when he built his wall and with quite a lot of it still standing, maybe its time has come again.

But I`m not sure I can get too excited about it especially as Salmond doesn`t command a majority in the Scottish Parliament, so his plan might well be doomed before it gets off the ground. Still, I`m a fan of referendums (or is it referenda?) and I bitterly regret that we didn`t have the one we were promised on the infamous Lisbon Treaty (thanks to Scot Gordon Brown.) That said, if the Scots are ever to have their referendum on whether to remain part of the United Kingdom, then logic suggests that the rest of us in the UK should be included in the referendum to see if we might be pleased to see the back of them. Or not.

Trouble is, I`m not sure I want that same logic to be applied if we ever get a referendum about the UK (or what might be left of it) staying in the European Union. I would surely welcome a referendum about that but I`m not sure I want the rest of the EU`s 27 countries voting in it as well, even though they might be glad to see the back of us as well.

It`s an old political truism that, before you ask the question, be sure there`s every chance you`ll get the answer you want. And be careful what you wish for.