Two Quick Notes About a Plebiscitary Election

Just two quick further thoughts about the use of a Westminster election as a de facto referendum:

• It's worth noting that this means that the franchise would be more restricted than in the 2014 referendum, and indeed in the proposed 2023 referendum, Holyrood elections, or similar. In Scotland the right to vote extends to 16 year olds, and is based on residency rather than citizenship... but not for General Elections. That may well be enough to swing the answer from "yes" to "no".
• There is a question of what it means to 'win' such a thing, since first past the post means that the SNP have an overwhelming majority of Scottish MPs on a narrow minority of the vote. Here I need to note that while I am in favour of independence, I am a democrat first - I won't support independence unless a majority of votes cast are in favour.