Very good post by Stu above. Backwoodsman, the main problem is that the media have distorted the political debate, and there is a good case for enforcing a duty of impartiality on the printed press as well as the broadcast media. Especially when so much of the media is owned by foreign interests. The lies of the conservatives, the paranoia, the xenophobia (of which the Scottish seemed to be amongst the primary targets) not only echoed conservative thought, but fuelled it. Would Hammond or May or Javid or Hancock be espousing such extreme viewpoints if not egged on by the Murdoch and Dacre press? I have no doubt that Gove and IDS would, they really believe this stuff, but I am not so sure about the others. We either have to have a restriction on foreign ownership, or a duty of impartiality, or both.