The ?unique solution? to decide the question of Independence floated by Premier Alex Scott in London last week could have its roots in how the British set up the Scottish Parliament, the Premier said on Friday night.

Scotland held a referendum in 1997 to decide the question of whether or not there should be a Scottish assembly, and whether there should be a Scottish assembly with tax-varying powers.

The referendum itself was a manifesto promise made by the Labour Party during the 1997 UK General Election. Mr. Scott?s hint suggested that during Bermuda?s next General Election ? which may not take place until 2008 ? part of the PLP party?s platform could include details on an Independent Bermuda under the PLP, along with a promise to hold a referendum on the question if the PLP is re-elected.

However the Premier refused to divulge the details of his discussions with new Foreign and Commonwealth junior minister Lord Triesman, saying that he will give those details on his return to Bermuda. The Premier was due to return to the Island this weekend.

Such a compromise ? if that is what the Premier has in mind ? could go some way towards satisfying those calling for a General Election to decide Independence because of the level of detail surrounding the issue, while also reassuring those who want the issue to be decided by referendum in order for every Bermudian to directly have their say.

It could also throw the Opposition United Bermuda Party on the back foot. The UBP has already called for a referendum on the issue. Had the PLP pushed ahead with a General Election on a platform of Independence, the UBP could have countered with a platform including a referendum on the issue ? the very tactic that Mr. Scott might have discussed with the UK.

He kept his cards close to his chest on Friday, but Mr. Scott did admit to being somewhat stuck between a rock and a hard place on the question of process. A significant proportion of the electorate is demanding a referendum, with more than 14,000 voters signing the Bermudians for Referendum petition to that effect, while his own party has historically stood by the option of General Election to decide the question of sovereignty.

On Friday the Premier appeared to be facing the reality that he will be unable to make everyone happy when it comes to deciding the process.

Considering the compromise of some sort of referendum/General Election combination does at least help move the issue forward, he said.

?We always maintained that we could find a unique Bermudian solution ... What we did is just ask the new Minister for his view on what we must do to advance a solution with folks feeling strongly about both a referendum and a General Election,? he said.

He said he thought there were methods that could address that circumstance, possibly based on how the British set up the Scottish Parliament.

?The details I will give when I get back to Bermuda,? he said.

As for how his own party is taking the sudden swerve towards a referendum after decades of backing a General Election, Mr. Scott said the PLP is still talking.

Admitting the impossibility of pleasing everyone, Mr. Scott said his job was to find a ?just and fair? way forward. Government, he added, is also still determining what exactly the British Government may be comfortable with.

The PLP has historically called for a General Election, he said ? but considering the idea of a referendum allows the issue to move forward and Independence itself, he said, is the more important issue.

Any forward motion could be greeted with some relief from various factions within the community, especially international business, which has expressed strong concerns about the uncertainty surrounding the issue. Government?s timetable on Independence is still unclear, however.

On Friday, the Premier said Government has prepared 2,000 further copies of the controversial Bermuda Independence Commission (BIC) report to distribute within the community, but he did not say whether or not Government has a specific timetable in place.

Asked about the controversy surrounding contradictions and omissions in the BIC Report itself, Mr. Scott stood by the overall veracity of the document.

?The majority of countries did go Independent via General Election,? he said in regards to the now infamous statement by Commissioners that the BIC had been unable to find an example of a country deciding the question of sovereignty by referendum.

As he has done repeatedly, Mr. Scott called again for Bermudians to read the report to inform themselves about the options Bermuda faces. Bermuda may have started a trend throughout British Overseas Territories with the question of Independence, he added.

More information on the Scottish Parliament and its history can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk.