Scotland Tonight: Difference between the two proposed referendum questions

Both sides of the debate into Scottish independence have now said what they would like the question on the referendum ballot to say.

The Scottish Government want to ask people "do you agree that Scotland should become an independent country?"

On Wednesday, Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats said they would like the question to be "Scotland should become an independent state: I agree/I do not agree."

Both may seem quite similar but Mark Diffley from market research company Ipsos Mori Scotland explained the difference on Scotland Tonight.

He said: "There are two questions on the table from both sides of this debate. A lot of people seem to be saying this new question is little different from the Scottish Government’s preferred question but there are two interesting differences that stand out for me.

"The first is it’s interesting and significant to note what isn’t in the question. There’s a lack of emotive language like ‘splitting up’ or ‘breaking up’, even the term ‘United Kingdom’ isn’t in it at all.

"Secondly, it isn’t a yes or no; it doesn’t pose a statement and ask ‘do you agree’. It poses a statement and asks for you do decide if you agree or don’t agree."

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