Robert Brown demands more powers for parliament

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 8th Oct 2007

Liberal Democrats lead campaign for Scottish Parliament powers

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown has made a call for the Scottish Parliament to have more powers within the United Kingdom.

Speaking at the Scottish Liberal Democrats Autumn Conference in Glasgow, Robert Brown - who is Policy Convener of the Scottish Liberal Democrats - proposed the resolution, "Powers for a Purpose", calling for the establishment of a new Scottish Constitutional Convention.

Mr. Brown called for the Convention to draw up a scheme which he said would be supported by the vast majority of the people of Scotland - in contrast to Alex Salmond's "monologue with himself" about independence - which most people in Scotland are against.

Mr. Brown said:

"Liberal Democrats are interested in the Scottish Parliament having "powers for a purpose" and using those powers for the better governance of our country, within a firm commitment to the value of the United Kingdom to Scotland, and of Scotland to the United Kingdom.

"Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Nicol Stephen met with the leaders of the Labour Party and the Conservative Party in Scotland to discuss how best to work together on this. Nicol has led the way on this and moved the matter forward. But it is fair to say that the other parties have been looking at the matter too.

"The SNP Administration in Holyrood failed to provide any justification at all in their "National Conversation" on Independence as to why separation from the United Kingdom was desirable.

"There is a big fault line at the heart of the SNP's central policy because the majority of people do not support independence - only 22% according to a recent opinion poll, as opposed to 56% who want more powers for the Scottish Parliament within the United Kingdom.

"Liberal Democrats stand ready to work with other political parties, both in the Scottish Parliament and in Westminster, to establish a new Constitutional Convention, widely representative of civic, community and business interests, of the trade unions, churches and the Voluntary Sector to build agreement on the form that new powers might take, including providing the levers necessary to influence the direction of the economy."

The motion was passed unanimously by the Conference.

Ends

Notes for Editors

Powers for a Purpose

Mover: Robert Brown MSP

Conference notes the party's longstanding commitment to gaining more powers for the Scottish Parliament within the United Kingdom as set out in the Steel Commission.

Conference believes that the Scottish Parliament should be more accountable for the money it spends and should have its hands on the levers necessary to influence the direction of the economy and assist in our objectives of a greener, fairer and freer Scotland within a strong United Kingdom.

Conference welcomes moves from other parties towards the Liberal Democrat position of more fiscal and legislative powers for the Scottish Parliament and calls on the Scottish Liberal Democrats to continue to lead the debate and develop this vision of Scotland within the United Kingdom.

Conference further calls on the Scottish Liberal Democrats at Holyrood and Westminster to work with other political parties to establish a second constitutional convention or commission, involving a wide range of civic, business and community interests, to build a consensus on the form that these new powers should take.