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PREMIER SAYS TIME IS RIGHT TO ASK ABOUT POWERS OF HOLYROOD

ALEXANDER: Support from Brown

Monday February 18,2008

By John Robertson

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THE Prime Minister yesterday backed a fresh look at new powers for the Scottish Parliament, including the question of whe-ther it should have more tax-raising powers.

But he said the process could also involve some powers switching back from Holyrood to West-minster, and gave as examples some aspects of terrorism legislation and control over future foot-and-mouth outbreaks.

He also mounted a strong public defence of Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander. Mr Brown gave her his public backing, both in her leadership role and in her plans for a fresh study of the devolved settlement.

Some Labour MPs are thought to be worried that a new debate about the powers of the Scottish Parlia-ment can only help the SNP.

But Mr Brown defended the plan for what Ms Alexander has described as a commission, although he calls it a “review”, and pointed out that the move has been taken on board by a vote at Holyrood.

“There is a very strong case for moving forward with this review, a strong case for looking after 10 years of devolution at what is the right steps forward,” he said.

“There is an issue about the financial responsibility of an Executive or an administration that has £30billion to spend but doesn’t have any responsibility for raising any of that.”

Asked of the possibility of more tax powers emerging from this review, Mr Brown said: “Well, this is what any review should look at. Nobody should pre-judge it.

“There is a case for saying that, in any other devolved administration in the world, there is usually a financial responsibility that requires not only the spending of money by the administration, but also its responsibility to take seriously how it raises money.” However, he said some devolved powers may return to Westminster.

He said: “If you take, for example, terrorism, it’s clear when you look round the United Kingdom that, if you have a terrorist incident, there is no Scotland only, Wales only or England only approach to that.

“Terrorism can effect the whole of, if you like, the islands and indeed the whole of the United Kingdom and there is a case for looking at whether in security and terrorism we have got the right balance.”

Mr Brown said last year’s foot-and-mouth outbreak also highlighted the need to look again at where power should lie.

He also praised Labour’s under-fire leader in Scotland, saying: “I think Wendy Alexander will turn out to be a great leader.

“She has had my support, has my support, will continue to have my support.”

But Mr Brown’s hints at more powers for Holyrood were “a remarkable turn-around”, said deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

She said: “I suppose it’s another tribute to the progress Scotland is making with an SNP government that Gordon Brown now agrees with the vast majority of the people of Scotland that there should be more powers.”

PREMIER SAYS TIME IS RIGHT........

20.02.08, 12:37pm

Could be that this is just a delaying tactic in the hope the SNP and Scotland will just go away.
GB is good at hiding out when things are getting hot!
Could also be a sop for straying Labour voters!
However a 'review' is NOT the same as a commission , it kind of indicates a backward glance NOT a forward one!

• Posted by: QueenD • Report Comment