Salmond: 'No' voters were 'tricked'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 21 September 2014 | 15.36

21 September 2014 Last updated at 08:24
Alex Salmond

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Salmond "surprised by the speed" at which Westminster party leaders are "reneging" on their promises

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has said "No" voters in last week's independence referendum were "tricked" by a late vow of more devolved powers.

He accused the three main party leaders of "reneging" on the pledge they made days before Thursday's referendum which he claimed won the "No" vote.

Voters in Scotland rejected independence by 55% to 45%.

No 10 dismissed his claims, as the three parties continue to disagree over handling the process of devolution.

It comes as about 1,000 people, including politicians from across the divide, prepare to attend a service of reconciliation at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

Tight timetable

Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg all vowed before the referendum that Scotland would be given additional powers if it rejected independence.

Under the plans, the legislation would be delivered by whichever government comes into office at next year's general election.

A motion to be laid before the UK parliament by the three parties on Monday sets out steps to deliver further devolution to Scotland within a tight timetable.

Downing Street insisted the timetable would be followed, while Better Together campaign leader Alistair Darling said it was non-negotiable.

But there is continuing disagreement between the three Westminster parties over how the process of devolution should be handled.

David Cameron wants changes to move in tandem with plans to make sure only English MPs can vote on English laws - but Labour wants a slower process with further debate.

The Lib Dems have warned Mr Cameron's decision to link the issues could see him forced to renege on his promise to the people of Scotland.

Further powers: Parliamentary motion

That this House...

  • Welcomes the result of the Scottish independence referendum and the decision of the people of Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom;
  • recognises that people across Scotland voted‎ for a Union based on the pooling and sharing of resources and for the‎ continuation of devolution inside the United Kingdom;
  • Notes the statement by the prime minister, deputy prime minister and leader of the opposition regarding the guarantee of and timetable for further devolution to Scotland;
  • Calls on the government to lay before Parliament a Command Paper including the proposals of all three UK political parties by 30 October and to consult widely with the Scottish people, civic Scotland and the Scottish Parliament on these proposals;
  • Further calls on the government to publish heads of agreement by the end of November and draft clauses for the new Scotland Bill by the end of January 2015.

Mr Salmond told the BBC the pledge made by the three main UK party leaders days before Thursday's referendum had won the historic vote for the "No" side.

Speaking to the Sunday Politics programme - to be broadcast later - Mr Salmond said he believed "No" voters would be angry at having been "misled", "gulled" and "tricked" by the leaders' pledge.

He also accused the Westminster parties of going back on their promise to start the process immediately after the referendum. Better Together had told Scottish voters the motion would be presented to parliament on Friday.

"I am actually not surprised they are cavilling and reneging on commitments, I am only surprised by the speed at which they are doing it. They seem to be totally shameless in these matters," he said.

"The prime minister wants to link change in Scotland to change in England. He wants to do that because he has difficulty in carrying his backbenchers on this and they are under pressure from UKIP.

"The Labour leadership of course are frightened of any changes in England which leave them without a majority in the House of Commons on English matters.

"I think the vow was something cooked up in desperation for the last few days of the campaign and I think everyone in Scotland now realises that."

Responding to Mr Salmond's accusations, Downing Street said the "three pro-union parties" had "made clear commitments on further powers" for Scotland and the government had "set out a clear timetable".

Continue reading the main story

The agreement reached between the three parties is non-negotiable"

End Quote Alistair Darling Better Together

"Lord Smith of Kelvin has agreed to oversee the process to take forward the devolution commitments with powers over tax, spending and welfare all agreed by November and draft legislation published by January," a spokesman said.

"This government has delivered on devolution and we will do so again."

Echoing similar comments made by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Saturday, Mr Darling insisted the pledge for more powers would be acted upon within the stated timetable.

"The agreement reached between the three parties is non-negotiable," he told the Marr programme.

"It was promised, it's got to be delivered, and anyone who welches on that will pay a very heavy price for years to come."

On the wider issue of further devolution across the rest of the UK, Mr Darling said the powers of the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies needed to be looked at, with the case for transferring greater economic powers to English cities and the size of the House of Lords.

"This can't just be a matter for politicians, the British public is entitled also to express a view," Mr Darling said.

The prime minister has proposed a system where only MPs from England would vote on English issues in parliament.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Cameron challenged his Labour counterpart to explain why Scottish MPs at Westminster "should be able to vote to vary income tax rates in England, when the Scottish Parliament is going to be setting Scottish income tax rates in Scotland".

But in an interview with the Observer newspaper, Mr Miliband warned: "We have just spent two years trying to keep our country together.

"We should be incredibly wary of back-of-the-fag-packet solutions that create... two classes of MPs."

Mr Clegg, writing in the Sunday Times, insisted there could be "no ifs, no buts" about delivering the extra powers promised to Scotland, and the package "cannot be made contingent on other constitutional reforms".

"Of course we need a solution to this dilemma but, by appearing to link it to the delivery of further devolution to Scotland, they risk reneging on the commitment made to the Scottish people that, in the event of a 'No' vote, new powers would come what may," he wrote.

'Common ground'

As part of Sunday's church event, politicians of all parties will light a single candle, symbolising a commitment to work together in the best interests of the country.

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander will also each give a reading.

Similar sentiments are expected to be aired at churches around Scotland after the Moderator, Rt Rev John Chalmers, wrote to the Kirk's 800 ministers.

Mr Chalmers is expected to tell the gathering: "How we voted on one particular day does not define who we are.

"How we work together to put in place the democratic will of the Scottish people will be defining - both for us as individuals and for us we as we work to redefine our place within the United Kingdom."


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