"Allan...The Scottish govt said before the "consultation", that they "were of a mind to introduce the legislation".....could that not be seen as an attempt to affect the result?"

They've been quite open about the fact that they'd like to introduce the legislation. Doesn't stop them having a consultation exercise! But it wasn't in itself an actual official vote on the subject. Just a test of opinion and views and it wasn't even restricted to people in Scotland. The polls taken randomly by people like Mori are surely a better clue as to what actual opinion is in the country - and they show a reasonable majority in favour of the legislation. As to the SNP being just like other politicians then well of course they are!