Brown's 'mistake' over Scottish role

Published on Saturday 4 October 2008 20:02

LABOUR became complacent about its power north of the border and should not have created a 'two jobs' Scottish Secretary, according to the new holder of the post.

Jim Murphy, who was appointed to the Cabinet job on Friday, said Gordon Brown made a mistake when he hitched the job onto another Cabinet position.

Up until last week, Des Browne had performed the job as a side issue to his main role as UK Defence Secretary.

Murphy told Scotland on Sunday: "Des has an almost impossible role which I think he did pretty well. He shouldn't have been combining that. We have learned from that.

"I asked to do the job and I asked to do it full-time. I didn't want another department. I have watched how difficult that has been."

The Eastwood MP is the first full-time Scottish Secretary since Helen Liddell, who quit the job in 2003 after facing claims that she did not have enough to do post-devolution.

However, Brown appointed Murphy with his own Cabinet position last week. Murphy said the move was prompted because of the economic crisis and the acceptance that Scotland should have its own seat at the table.

The SNP called on Murphy to explain how he will be worth the nearly 8m spent on his department last year.

SNP MP Pete Wishart said: "Jim Murphy's appointment is nothing to do with building relations with Scotland. It is all about keeping Scottish Labour in control as Gordon Brown desperately attempts to reverse Labour's fortunes in Scotland."

Murphy said he phoned Alex Salmond on Friday, suggesting a meeting. He said: "There are issues we will disagree with, but getting Scottish families and businesses through this economic crisis is the single biggest issue and I said that to the First Minister and said we should work together on that."

Murphy said he opposed the SNP's plans for a referendum on independence and to create a new Local Income Tax.

Last week the Scottish Parliament supported calls for 400m of council tax benefit cash to be given to the Scottish Government to help support the proposed LIT. But Murphy said: "If there is no council tax in Scotland, there would be no council tax benefit."

On a referendum, he said he remained "relaxed" about the SNP's plans, but added that he did not see it as a priority.