Shoddy

On the subject of the Scottish Independence referendum (see below) a rather strange thing has happened.

Apart from the fact that the 51 million English, Welsh and Northern Irish are not being invited to vote on the break up of the United Kingdom, Cameron seems now to have conceded to the head of the Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond, that 16 year olds will be able to vote in the referendum. The minimum voting age in the UK is 18, and if there were, for example, a referendum on our membership of the European Union (which Mr Cameron promised and reneged on) only those over 18 would be able to vote. It seems that a 16 year old Scottish child could vote on independence but when the general election came the following year would be unable to vote.

Why is this going on?

Mr Salmond wants 16 year olds to be able to vote because they are more likely to vote against the status quo. Mr Cameron has accepted this in return for there being only one question on the ballot paper (ie not a sort of independence light being offered as an alternative).

Shoddy, Mr Cameron. Shoddy disdain for our traditions, for our constitution and for parliament.

We saw it with House of Lords Reform, where Cameron was prepared for his own political purposes to condone a monstrously undemocratic voting system and constitutional organisation; we have seen it with his promise of a referendum on Europe which he has chosen to forget, we have seen it with his permitting a vote on the AV system which is foreign for us, and we have seen it with the new celebrations of the start of WW1: Cameron is prepared to ride roughshod over our traditions and even over our constitution to get his political way.

In my view he is not the standard of person who can be Prime Minister.