National Conversation

The white paper included a draft bill for a referendum to allow for negotiations with the UK Government on Scottish independence.

As a culmination to the National Conversation, a white paper for the proposed Referendum (Scotland) Bill, 2010 was published on St. Andrew's Day on 30 November 2009.

[5] Concerns have also been raised by On 24 April 2008, Lord Foulkes, a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament, claimed that the National Conversation had been met with "complete indifference" by the people of Scotland, quoting website visiting figures.

He further claimed that the website had become a meeting place for SNP activists, noting also that although 41 comments had been removed from the site, "there are still anti-English remarks bordering on racism.

[7] Shortly after, the Parti Québécois replaced the term with débat sur la souveraineté ("debate on sovereignty").

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the launch of the National Conversation, 14 August 2007
Alex Salmond during a speech at the National Conversation