Students in mock independence poll

Feb 21 2013

Students at a university will have the opportunity to vote in a mock independence referendum.

Glasgow University's student population of more than 23,000 will be asked to answer the Electoral Commission's question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

Polling will take place throughout the day at three sites, including the university's two students unions in the west end and its Crichton campus in Dumfries.

Votes will then be counted at the Glasgow University Union (GUU), with the result expected to be announced later.

The mock referendum has been organised by the university's Dialectic Society, which aims to promote debate on a variety of issues including politics.

The society's president, Michael Gray, said that he anticipated that most students voting in the mock poll would be eligible to take part in the real independence referendum in 2014.

He said: "Quite a large part of the student population are Scottish, with many coming from Glasgow or nearby.

"Other students would be able to register to vote if they were still studying here next autumn.

"There is only quite a small population of Erasmus (European exchange) students who wouldn't be able to vote next year."

The society is also hosting a debate at the GUU featuring Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins, independent MSP Jean Urquhart, Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, Labour MP William Bain and journalist Lesley Riddoch.