SCOTTISH Secretary David Mundell prepares to pilot the Scotland Bill through the Commons for the last time.
He’s described tomorrow as a “historic day” as the legislation written up following the Smith Commission process finally gets the nod from MPs.
He said: “It’s time to move on.
“We’ve had at least three years of significant constitutional wrangling and argument around the referendum, the build-up to the general election and since the bill came before parliament in June.
“Monday is a very important, indeed historic, day in terms of just getting the bill finally in full shape so it fits the Smith Commission in a way that no reasonable person could disagree.
“But it really is the moment to put constitutional wrangling behind and move on the debate to what to do with the new powers that’s best for Scotland.
“People in Scotland I think are fed up with the constant debate and it’s got now to a silly level.
“All the big stuff the tax, the welfare, the clauses around the Scottish parliament’s permanence is agreed so let’s just get on with it.”
Mundell claims the final draft of the Scotland Bill fulfils The Vow made by Westminster’s leaders in the days before last year’s independence referendum and meets the recommendations of the Smith Commission.
Gordon Brown has also endorsed the current version of the Scotland Bill
Asked if the former Labour PM has been a helpful figure in the process the Secretary of State said: “Gordon Brown is one of the most significant figures in Scottish politics in living memory.”
Gordon Brown (C Austin / DC Thomson)
The SNP will launch last-ditch plans tomorrow to get entire control of the tax credit regime devolved to Holyrood.
But Tory MPs of whom only Mundell represents a Scottish seat are certain to vote down those proposals.
Mundell rejects criticism that having passed new rules on English Votes for English Laws it will be the votes of English and Welsh MPs that see the Scotland Bill home because he says it affects the entire UK constitution.
Tax credits have risen up the political agenda after the House of Lords delayed Tory plans to cut them and Scottish Labour last weekend promised to make good any cut for Scots using the powers contained within the Scotland Bill.
Added Mundell: “The SNP did not demand the devolution of tax credits when they were sitting round the Smith Commision table. What they got was the ability to top up tax credits.
“As far as I’m concerned this is a smokescreen to avoid having to deal with what they would do with the significant powers that they have in relation to the tax and benefits system in this Scotland Bill.”To read more about Scottish politics, click hereAfter its third reading in the Commons on Monday the legislation will go on to the Lords where former big beasts of Scottish politics like Michael Forsyth, Jack McConnell and David Steel are sure to have a say.
However, Mundell insists it will be law in the spring.
He added: “We’re still on time for having it on the statute books in March so it can be the backdrop to the Scottish Parliament elections.”
He’s gone further than Scottish Conservative party leader Ruth Davidson in predicting success at those elections.
While Davidson has said the party will return more MSPs than ever before Mundell predicted his party will form the opposition at Holryood.
He said: “I’m confident that it will happen because recent elections have shown strong support for Scottish Conservatives in Scotland.
“The message people are seeing across Scotland is that the Conservatives are the only alternative to the SNP for the two million people who voted No in the referendum.”
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