A cross-party agreement to give the Scottish Parliament more control over taxes will help create exactly the right balance of power for Scotland, Nick Clegg has said ahead of the independence TV debate. The Deputy Prime Minister said the unequivocal statement signed by all three UK party leaders showed there is consensus in Westminster to devolve more powers after a No vote. The move has been seen as a way of spiking Alex Salmonds guns as he prepares to take on Alistair Darling, leader of the pro-UK Better Together campaign, in a debate over Scotlands future on Tuesday night. Opinion polls show that faced with a choice between independence, the status quo or a stronger Scottish Parliament, the latter option is most popular with Scots. Part of the statement co-signed by Mr Clegg, David Cameron and Ed Miliband read: We now pledge to strengthen further the powers of the Scottish Parliament, in particular in the areas of fiscal responsibility and social security. George Osborne, the chancellor, said on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that the agreement proved any combination of parties in the next UK Government would result in more powers for Scotland. That is the best of both worlds – that is, Scotland part of the UK with all the economic benefits and broader benefits that brings. But also Scotland in charge of the things that matter to Scots, Mr Osborne said. Asked what assurance Scots had that the commitment would be honoured, Mr Osborne replied: People can see even over recent years we have undertaken a massive further devolution of tax-raising powers to Scotland. So people can judge us by our track record but also judge us by the collective commitment we make across the Westminster political party divide to further devolution. Mr Clegg told the BBC: With this unequivocal statement, where all the parties are saying this will happen, all the parties are agreed that there is a consensus that Scotland must have more powers even as it remains within the UK. I think that strikes exactly the right balance that many people in Scotland want, which is a strong Scotland in a strong UK. telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11013025/Scotland-debate-Cross-party-devolution-pact-will-give-Scotland-exactly-the-right-balance-of-powers.html
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 17:32:40 +0000
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