Popping the question

Spot the loading in Alex Salmond's proposed referendum question:
Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?
Salmond described this question as "simple, straightforward and clear", somehow forgetting to also mention its not-so-subtle bias in favour of independence.

Still, could be worse. Salmond's question is indeed a model of clarity compared to the 1995 referendum on Quebec independence. Presumably he realised he couldn't get away with this world-class level of obfuscation:
Do you agree that Quebec should become sovereign after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership within the scope of the bill respecting the future of Quebec and of the agreement signed on June 12, 1995?
There is something in common though. Do you agree that Salmond got his idea for loaded phrasing from the Quebec question?

Comments

  1. Given the post title, does this mean Mrs Tomsk asked "Do you agree that you should be my husband?" all those years ago?

    ReplyDelete
  2. She lured me with Guinness rather than cunning wording.

    ReplyDelete

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