Clause 6 - Combination of polls
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
5:00 pm
Mr David Borrow (South Ribble, Labour)
I am trying to follow the points made by the hon. Gentleman. I accept that there is an argument about the distortion that would be caused by having two elections because different issues would be being debated at the same time. However, I fail to see how getting 73 or 75 per cent. of the electorate to vote in a referendum would distort the result compared with getting 20 or 30 per cent. of the electorate to vote. I do not understand his point, which seems to be that if the turnout is higher, the result will be of less value to the Minister than if it were lower. Perhaps he can explain to my feeble mind exactly what he has got in his.