Scottish parliament powers could be broadened
Labour is considering widening some powers of the Scottish parliament as part of a review by the party’s policy-making body in Scotland.
But the party has sought to play down a report in the Sunday Times that Scottish first minister Jack McConnell was seeking a comprehensive review of powers that could lead to the “biggest constitutional shake-up in Scotland since devolution”.
A spokesman for Scottish Labour told politics.co.uk that it was “part of a general review of Labour policy in Scotland”.
Yesterday’s report in the Sunday Times said Mr McConnell had asked the Scottish policy forum to “discuss the partnership between the two governments and the two parliaments, and the way we use devolved and reserved powers in Scotland”.
But the spokesman told politics.co.uk Mr McConnell was responding to moves by the other main parties in Scotland to seek more powers for the executive.
“The Labour party has always been prepared to see more powers devolved to the Scottish executive, but this is part of the logic of devolution and is an ongoing process,” the spokesman said.
Scottish Labour was not interested in devolving powers for its own sake, but only if it was necessary to implement a particular policy, he said.
Powers that could potentially be ceded include those to legislate on state benefits, immigration, drugs and nuclear power stations. The voting system, the size of the Scottish parliament and the hiring of Scottish civil servants could be up for discussion.
But any ceding of powers to Holyrood would need the approval of the government in Westminster.
The SNP has consistently argued for greater power and eventually independence. But the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats and have also started to discuss the idea of pushing for more powers for the executive.
Mr McConnell raised relations between London and the Scottish executive at a meeting in Stirling of the Scottish Labour policy forum last month.
