LABOUR –TORY ALLIANCE EXPOSES "CALMAN CON"

LABOUR –TORY ALLIANCE EXPOSES "CALMAN CON"

PARLIAMENT BACKS EARLY TRANSFER OF POWERS

The “Calman Con” from Labour and the Tories was exposed tonight as they sought to stop Parliament voting for an early transfer of powers recommended in the Calman Commission.

The Parliament ultimately backed SNP calls for powers over drink driving, speed limits, electoral administration and airguns to take place ahead of the UK General Election.

Speaking after the debate Highlands and Islands MSP and anti drink driving campaigner Dave Thompson urged Westminster to respect the Parliament’s vote and take action immediately. Mr Thompson said:

“The Calman con has been exposed. Labour’s cover has been blown. They have no intention of transferring power and no intention of supporting the Scottish Parliament.

“These transfers are powers that could save lives – yet Labour is happy to push them further and further into the long grass.

“There is no technical reason for the delay and there is no dispute that the powers should be transferred – so what are Labour and the Tories hiding from.

“The truth is that the UK Government has never had any intention of transferring more powers or of taking these vital measures – like cutting the drink drive limit – that will save lives.

“The Scottish Parliament has made itself very clear. Kicking the sensible recommendations of the Calman report into the long grass as Labour and the Tories are determined to do is unacceptable.

“The Unionist parties spent much of last year calling on both Governments and both Parliaments to stand by the Calman Commission. The SNP Government and the Scottish Parliament today backed the sensible recommendations in the report now Westminster must live up to it’s side of the bargain and transfer these powers asap.

“There is more than enough time for the UK Government to transfer these powers before the General Election."

The motion passed by Parliament in the name of Fiona Hyslop is below: That the Parliament welcomes the recommendations of the Calman Commission on Scottish Devolution that responsibility for the law across a range of areas be devolved to the Scottish Parliament and also welcomes the recommendations for closer working between the Scottish and UK Ministers to ensure that the needs of Scotland are properly represented, and urges the UK Government to work with the Scottish Parliament to ensure that, where there is consensus, all such recommendations are implemented before the dissolution of the current UK Parliament.