FORMER PM ATTACKS PROSPECT OF FISCAL AUTONOMY

Commenting on former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's latest intervention in the debate about Westminster devolving more powers to the Scottish parliament as promised in the 'vow' by the three current Westminster leaders in the lead up the referendum – and as the focus moves this week to the debates scheduled in the House of Commons,Pete Wishart SNP MP said:

"Gordon Brown’s contributions to the debate on Scotland’s future are becoming increasingly surreal and are full of inconsistencies and contradictions . Before the referendum Gordon Brown posed a guarantor of  the 'vow' - the promise to deliver wide ranging new powers to Holyrood – but then resorted to asking people to sign a petition to ensure its delivery . He is now calling on other Westminster parties to do more – but his own party's proposals for more powers are even weaker than the Tories or the Liberal Democrats.

“Mr Brown attacks plans to give Scotland all control of income tax, even suggesting they are a ‘Trojan horse’ to deliver full fiscal autonomy – but  if he was in any way consistent with the pre-referendum ‘vow’ to the people of Scotland he would be throwing all his weight behind full fiscal autonomy for Holyrood.

"He hasn't even been able to persuade the current Labour leadership to go as far in delivering new powers as he says he wants, as they are outbid by the Lib Dems and even the Tories.  He also says he wants more power over rail to be devolved – but again his colleagues in Scottish Labour failed to use their submission to the Smith Commission to suggest that public sector bidders should be allowed to compete for rail franchise agreements.

“Gordon Brown was in government for 10 years – three of them as Prime Minister. He could have delivered on any of his ideas then but failed to do so, and was in fact bitterly opposed even to the devolution of  Air Passenger Duty. As a Labour backbencher and self proclaimed ex-politician Gordon Brown speaks with no real authority or ability to deliver anything at all – and that is his problem.

“People across Scotland are waiting on the Westminster parties to deliver on their pre-referendum ‘vow’ of ‘home rule’, as promised by Mr Brown – and they will not easily forgive or forget if that promise is broken."