Yesterday, The Royal Gazette published the first of what will be an ongoing series of stories on what are likely to be issues in this year's General Election.

The first topic was Independence, which for different reasons is a subject that many politicians do not really want to touch.

Different politicians have different views on the subject, running the gamut from full-fledged nationalists to those who believe Bermuda could easily be independent but feel there are more important issues at stake, to members of the full-fledged anti-Independence lobby.

The real reason that politicians don't want to discuss the question is because it is political poison.

That's mainly because the majority of people, according to the most recent polls, remain ambivalent on the subject. Even those who feel that Bermuda could continue to be successful as an Independent country are hard-pressed to make the argument on how Bermuda could be more successful, beyond arguments about national pride and being "one nation".

But proponents cannot say that the economy would be automatically stronger, or that housing, crime or education problems would be solved.

Opponents of Independence, of course, can't say that these issues will automatically be improved if Bermuda remains as it is.

But they can argue that the resources and effort required to become Independent and then to be a sovereign state with all that that entails in terms of overseas embassies and so on would have to be diverted from other pressing problems.

That remains a compelling argument in the absence of any argument for Independence from the other side.

And it does not seem as if there is any groundswell of support for the idea.

Part of the responsibility for this lies with Britain, which has exercised a light touch with regard to how Bermuda conducts its relations with other countries. If Bermuda wants to become as associate member of Caricom, then that's all right. And if it wishes to sign a memorandum of understanding with Cuba for cultural exchanges and send some old buses down there as well, then that's all right too.

Indeed, if the Premier wishes to open the Annual Exhibition, then the Governor will gracefully step aside.

This may not make the dyed-in-the-wool British loyalists happy, but it does not give the nationalists much ammunition when they try to paint Britain and Government House as interfering busybodies.

And there is no better argument for remaining as a British Overseas Territory than the fact that all Bermudians and their children can now hold British passports, thus righting an historical wrong and guaranteeing Bermudians freedom of movement and work through most of Europe.

In the meantime, the politicians can argue about whether it is better to try to decide the issue via a Referendum or an Election. This may seem like it is a mere procedural issue, but it is not.

The Progressive Labour Party promised in its last platform to "work towards single seat constituencies of equal eligible voter populations ..." and to "reducing the number of seats in the House of Assembly". This then became a mandate for the new electoral system, with no room for consideration of any other kind of reform. Thus if any party says it wants to "consider" Independence in its term of government, then opponents of Independence and those who have a "yes, but not right now" opinion should take care that they do not give a mandate if they don't fully believe in Independence.

A referendum, on the other hand, is a single issue vote, meaning a vote for or against Independence is not a vote for or against a particular party.