British parties squabble over fall-out from Scottish vote

22 Sep, 2014

Britain's main parties squabbled on Sunday over how to deliver reform after Scotland voted "No" to independence, after Prime Minister David Cameron insisted any new powers for the Scots must see similar autonomy for the English. The united front of the referendum campaign, when the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats promised greater devolution for Scots if they stayed in the United Kingdom, is cracking over concerns of the wider implications.
All three parties insist they are still committed to extending the devolved Scottish Parliament's control over tax, spending and welfare.
But while Conservative leader Cameron has tied this to more autonomy for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband says the issues are separate and should not be rushed through together.
Much is at stake - although any reforms would not be in place by the May general election, they could have a major impact on the parties' ability to win power.
In Thursday's historic referendum, Scots voted by 55 percent to 45 percent to stay in the United Kingdom.
But a poll two weeks earlier had put the pro-independence camp ahead, prompting a last-minute pledge by Cameron, Miliband and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg to draw up new Scottish powers by January.
Within hours of the result on Friday, Cameron made the surprise announcement that any reform must also include England - something he had not discussed with the others.
Writing in The Mail on Sunday newspaper, the prime minister said there was a "basic unfairness at the heart of our democracy" which had to be addressed.
Scottish lawmakers in the 650-seat British parliament at Westminster are currently allowed to vote on legislation affecting only England, but English MPs have no say in devolved matters decided in Edinburgh.

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