Recommendation 4

Within the United Kingdom’s constitutional arrangements, formal democratic mandates have historically been established through elections and legislative processes. It is problematic that no established mechanism exists for ensuring that, in appropriate circumstances, the wishes of the people of Scotland can be expressed, and as we heard from Professor Renwick, this can be said to represent a democratic “disjuncture” whereby the "democratic mechanism may not work." As he also points out, “it is the UK electorate that chooses those with the power to trigger a referendum, whereas the electorate whose wishes are to be respected is that of Scotland.”