FAILURE to follow Electoral Commission guidance on the referendum question and campaign funding would be a serious breach of trust with the people, Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has warned the Scottish Government.
Giving evidence to Holyrood's Referendum Bill Committee, he said there could be "no stronger signal of intent than to ask for the Electoral Commission's advice, to reflect and then to follow".
Although, like Westminster, Holyrood has the final decision on such issues, Mr Moore said: "To do otherwise would risk breaking the trust of the Scottish people. It would be a serious issue and would go right to the heart of the trust of the people of Scotland in what we have entered into."
He was also critical of the Scottish Government's failure to seek full, current legal advice on the implications of independence for EU membership, contrasting that with the behaviour of Advocate General Jim Wallace in obtaining advice and seeking to refine it.
He disputed the assertion that the signing of the Edinburgh Agreement three weeks ago was relevant to this, insisting that past consultations, draft Bills and a White Paper could all have triggered a decision to seek fresh legal advice.
Mr Moore said: "I'm absolutely clear the agreement that sits alongside the order sets out the process for this referendum, no more than that. I don't accept that without it you could not have investigated the issues around the central part of independence, namely membership of the European Union or other international bodies."
He said the agreement was not some kind of "Aladdin's lamp".
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