ðə nˈɑːvəl ɪz sˈɛt ɪn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt, wɪð kənsˈɪdɚɹəbəl ɹˈɛfɹənsᵻz tə ðɪ ˈɜːli mˈʌnθs ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn, wˌɛn ɐn ˈɜːlɪɚ ɹˌɛfɚɹˈɛndəm ˈɪnstɪtˌuːɾɪŋ ɐ skˈɑːɾɪʃ pˈɑːɹləmənt hæd fˈeɪld tə ɹᵻsˈiːv ɪnˈʌf vˈoʊts.
The novel is set in December 1998, with considerable references to the early months of 1979, when an earlier referendum instituting a Scottish Parliament had failed to receive enough votes.