Prisoners serving short-term sentences should be given a vote in the independence referendum, according to Liberal Democrats.

A poll of such magnitude should involve as many people as possible, the party's justice spokeswoman Alison McInnes argued.

"A general election chooses the government for the next five years – this referendum could change the entire country for the next five hundred years and beyond," she said. "I believe that we must give serious consideration to allowing prisoners the chance to have a say in that decision."

The party proposes to put forward amendments to legislation covering the mechanics of the voter franchise in the coming week.