It would be “unrealistic” for campaigners in the independence debate to call a truce during this summer’s Commonwealth Games, the minister responsible for the event has said.
Commonwealth Games and sport minister Shona Robison said politicians from all parties were “mature enough to recognise” that the sporting event was “hugely important” for Scotland and said that no-one would want to risk jeopardising its success.
She spoke out after former Labour first minister Jack McConnell had suggested that campaigners for and against independence should call a halt to their activities when the games are held in Glasgow.
The tournament is being held in the city and in other selected venues across the country between July 23 and August 3, just weeks before Scotland’s independence referendum on September 18.
Lord McConnell told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme there was a “genuine concern there will be a temptation on both sides of this debate in the period of the Commonwealth Games, given the numbers around and the focus on Scotland, to engage in a continuing debate on the referendum campaign”.
He argued, for that reason, “it would be wise right now, six months before the Games, for both sides to say that they will agree a truce for that two-week period”.
But Ms Robison told Good Morning Scotland that she believed a truce in the referendum campaign “would be unrealistic”, adding: “How would you stop meetings happening in Peterhead or the Borders? Why would you do that? It would be unrealistic to do that.”
Instead, she argued it would be “more realistic” for politicians to continue to work on a cross-party basis where the games were concerned.
Ms Robison also stressed that athletes competing in the Glasgow Games “should not be brought into the political debate on either side of the referendum”, adding: “I don’t think that would be fair.”