British Prime Minister David Cameron ruled out full fiscal autonomy for Scotland on Friday after his first talks in Edinburgh since being re-elected but agreed to consider granting extra powers. Cameron held talks with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, whose secessionist party won almost every Scottish seat in last week's British parliamentary elections.
He agreed to implement in full the proposals of the cross-party Smith Commission on further devolution. That was established after the September independence referendum - in which Scots voted by 55 percent to 45 percent to remain part of the United Kingdom. He also agreed to look at further devolution proposals from Sturgeon on business taxes, welfare and the minimum wage. "I'm delivering on the commitment I made, which is that the Smith Commission report on further devolution will be implemented in full," Cameron said after the meeting. "It gives massive extra power to the Scottish parliament," he said, adding: "I'm, of course, happy to consider other proposals". The Conservative leader added: "I don't support full fiscal autonomy for Scotland.
"I think the idea of laying on to the Scottish people another £7 billion ($11 billion, 10 billion euros) of either spending cuts or tax increases, I don't think that will be good for Scotland." Cameron said that after the commission proposals are implemented, Scotland would have control over 60 percent of its spending and be one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world. While Cameron's centre-right party won enough seats to form a majority government in the UK, Sturgeon's left-wing Scottish National Party made dramatic gains in the May 7 election and has a visceral dislike of the Conservatives.