UNIONIST CONFUSION OVER CALMAN AND CONSTITUTION

UNIONIST CONFUSION OVER CALMAN AND CONSTITUTION

OPPOSITION PUT PARTY POLITICS BEFORE SCOTLAND'S PEOPLE

The launch of the Scottish Government's white paper on Scotland's future has caused confusion amongst Scotland's unionist parties as the Calman consensus fell apart today.

Under questioning on BBC Scotland's Politics Show Tory leader Annabel Goldie refused to commit to implementing any of the proposals in the Calman report, while Iain Gray accepted the principle of a referendum on Scotland's constitutional future as he failed to defend Jim Murphy's decision to kick Calman into the long grass.

Mr Grays attempts to set out three conditions for a referendum backfired as he was told the SNP Government's proposals would meet them all.

Commenting on the collapse of the Calman parties SNP Constitutional Affairs Spokesman Pete Wishart MP said:

"The bizarre performances from Labour and the Tories show they have no intention of implementing the Calman proposals and no vision for Scotland's future.

"The only way the Scottish Parliament will achieve the increased powers an overwhelming majority of people want is with the open and democratic efforts of SNP.

"Once again Iain Gray is failing the key test of leadership. Instead of engaging in the debate Labour are looking for excuses. Iain Gray backs a referendum but lacks the courage to vote for it. By conceding that a referendum is the right way to determine Scotland's future Labour now have no grounds to reject the SNP Government's referendum.

"As for the Tories they are returning to their true colours. While the rest of Scotland looks toward a Parliament with more powers and an independent nation, Scotland's Tories are hiding their heads in the sand in case it upsets David Cameron's ambitions.

""By refusing to act now Labour have shown they cannot be trusted to deliver for Scotland and the Tories have shown how low Scotland is on their priority list.

"The unionist parties Calman consensus has collapsed under the weight of a Westminster election. Where Labour and the Tories are putting their party fortunes first the SNP will always put Scotland's people first as we work to transfer powers such as control of air guns or drink driving as soon as possible and put forward the democratic referendum that will let the people of Scotland have their say over Scotland's future.