Speaking in response to the letter from the First Minister rejecting his participation in a cross-party initiative to ask electoral experts to help frame the question for the referendum on independence, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Willie Rennie MSP said:

“It’s a disappointing letter from the First Minister.

“The original offer still stands, to help create a question that the people of Scotland can have confidence in.

“There is merit in moving forward to have a group of experts help.

“It’s important that the question is not the gift of a single political party.”