Risks should be revealed

Sunday 12 August 2012

Secrecy is not good for democracy.

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When it comes to key constitutional matters – such as the independence referendum – the electorate needs openness and transparency.

Therefore we must ask why the SNP government is set against publishing its "risk register", the Cabinet's assessment of what dangers the vote might hold for the nation.

First Minister Alex Salmond and his colleagues are not slow to tell voters just how confident they are in the economic, social and political benefits to flow from being an independent nation – as well as reaffirming their certitude that the Yes campaign will win the vote. No-one should go into the polling booth to express their preference unless armed with the facts and figures. From this perspective, there is a case for publishing the register. The SNP promises to set out its stall on vital areas such as defence, currency and foreign affairs ahead of the vote. Putting the register in the public domain would, on that level, be in the interests of fully informing the electorate before the vote. But the Nationalists say they will not make the contents public as "space" for the Cabinet to freely and robustly debate such an important issue is essential. From that perspective, they have a point. If every policy option and heated debate that ensued were made public before a decision was reached no minister of official would throw in their tuppence worth for fear of a potential backlash. Nobody expects every Cabinet utterance to be public. It could be detrimental to the efficient running of a country. And we elect politicians to make policy on our behalf. There are arguments on both sides. The SNP might have a valid reason for its position. We are yet to be convinced. That is why we are challenging the Government under Freedom of Information legislation.

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Local government

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Risks should be revealed

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