Westminster has bowed to pressure and will hold a full debate on the aftermath of Scotland’s independence referendum and the devolution process that has followed.
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael says he expects to lead the debate, despite rumours he’s to be sacked before it takes place next week.
And turning the SNP’s language on its head he claims he will “hold the nationalists’ feet to the fire” over their commitment to the more powers agenda now being led by Lord Smith.
The UK Government has been criticised for not making time to discuss the fallout from the referendum. But business managers have now found space in the timetable.
Gordon Brown has made much of his “special debate” scheduled for October 16. But that half-hour debate in a graveyard slot next Thursday evening will now be preceded by a full government debate expected to take place a week on Tuesday, on the first full day the House of Commons sits following the conference recess.
Scottish Secretary Carmichael said: “Gordon Brown got a half-hour adjournment debate which is what is available to a backbencher. But we’ve got control of the Government timetable so there will be a proper debate in Government time on the consequences of the referendum.”
The debate will see the Westminster administration once again commit to the vow signed by all three party leaders in the days before the independence vote.
Carmichael added: “The vow will be delivered, it will be delivered to the timetable that we have set out and we will not be departing from it in spirit or in detail.”
And he confirmed that would include maintaining the Barnett formula despite his leader Nick Clegg telling this paper earlier this year that there would be a “top-to-toe” review of the controversial funding arrangement that many claim benefits Scotland.
Carmichael denies that amounts to a U-turn. He said: “Policy evolves, it’s a natural part of politics. Our policy on this has evolved over time.”
He’s now calling on the SNP to make clear their policy on independence, claiming they cannot participate in the cross-party Smith Commission “in good faith” until and unless they rule out another independence referendum.
He said: “Nicola Sturgeon needs to confirm that she still stands by what Alex Salmond was saying before the referendum that the referendum was a once-in-a-generation decision so we are not going to be returning to this in the foreseeable future.
“The nationalists are very keen to talk about holding our feet to the fire on more powers. I think we should be holding their feet to the fire of the Edinburgh agreement.
“They signed up to a referendum that was to be decisive. They’ve got to tell us is this is decisive or are they going to go back on the commitments they previously made?
“If they don’t accept that this is a decisive outcome and don’t respect the decision of the Scottish people that they want to remain part of the United Kingdom then they would not be able to participate in good faith in the Smith Commission.”
He warned that hundreds of thousands of jobs could be on the line depending on whether Sturgeon rules out another referendum.
He added “She risks continuing a sense of insecurity and risk. And you saw what happened in Canada, it was that continuing uncertainty and the refusal of separatists there to acknowledge that their obsession was now a settled question that led the financial services sector to decant lock, stock and barrel from Montreal to Toronto.
“Think of the importance of the financial services to Scotland’s economy. It’s 100,000 direct jobs, probably 100,000 more indirect jobs, that’s what’s at stake here.”
Carmichael was speaking ahead of the Lib Dem conference which opens today in Glasgow.
His is one of the first speeches, however if the Westminster rumour mill is to be believed it could be his last as Scottish Secretary.
A Lib Dem reshuffle is widely expected before parliament returns next week and it will surprise commentators if he is not replaced by current consumer minister Jo Swinson.
So how much of the more powers agenda does he expect to be around to deliver?
He said: “Are you asking me am I going to be sacked? No, I don’t believe I am. I’ve got a job to do and I’m getting on with doing it.
“These stories come from time to time and it’s part of politics and it’s part of the gossipy little world that politicians and the media inhabit.
“It’s good fun in its own way but if you’re serious about the job that you’re in you don’t let it distract you.”
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