BBC News | SCOTLAND | Section 28 campaigners defiant

The group, backed by Stagecoach millionaire Brian Souter, has been denied the services of the Electoral Reform Society in its attempt to run a poll on plans to change legislation governing teaching on homosexuality in Scottish schools.

The Keep the Clause campaign said it would explore other options in seeking to canvass the views of Scots householders

Jack Irvine: Other options

Campaign director Jack Irvine described the society's decision as a "minor irritation" and accused it of bowing to political pressure - an allegation which the society strongly denied.

He said: "We are disgusted at the underhand behaviour of this organisation which has up until now claimed to be independent and shown no support for any political party.

"The logic of the response is seriously flawed and we can smell the fear coming through every line of the letter. We have to ask who got to these people?"

The Scottish Executive plans to repeal Section 28 and replace it with a set of guidelines - a move which prompted Mr Souter to promise hundreds of thousands of pounds for a campaign opposed to repeal.

Balloting operation

Ministers have insisted that the new rules would safeguard key elements of lifestyle teaching such as the importance of marriage.

But the Electoral Reform Society cited doubts over the guidelines as the main reason why its balloting operation, Electoral Reform Services, had refused to get involved.

In a statement it said: "The guidelines that are proposed to replace Section 28 are a very important element in the debate, a fact confirmed by the Keep the Clause campaign's own continued pressure to influence them.

Donald Dewar: "Time to reconsider"

"The more Electoral Reform Services have considered the issue, the more they have become convinced that it would not be a legitimate democratic exercise to ask people to give an opinion on the repeal of Section 28 without knowing the detail of what would replace it."

First Minister Donald Dewar has urged Mr Souter to consider dropping his campaign in the light of the society's move.

He said: "It shows that there are complexities and difficulties in this kind of populist approach.

"It sits uneasily with parliamentary democracy and I can well understand that the Electoral Reform Society doesn't want to be associated with it. I hope Mr Souter will reconsider the matter."

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, which had backed plans for a referendum, said: "The Electoral Reform Society seemed to be taking on a political agenda when picking and choosing what referendums to support."

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See also:

31 Mar 00 | Scotland
Souter poll hits major setback

28 Mar 00 | Scotland
Delay for Souter's Section 28 poll

28 Mar 00 | Scotland
Souter to bankroll clause referendum

Internet links:

Scottish Executive

Equality Network

Keep the Clause

Electoral Reform Society

Stagecoach

Text of Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1986

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Links to other Scotland stories are at the foot of the page.


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