Minister says Holyrood powers are 'McChattering classes issue'

Published on Tuesday 12 February 2008 20:55

THE case for Scotland having more powers was dismissed as a topic for debate among the "McChattering classes" by a Scotland Office minister, in a blow to Wendy Alexander's constitution commission.

David Cairns said there was no need for Scotland to have more tax raising powers and that the debate instead should be around service delivery. "The government's position is that we think the current fiscal arrangements benefit Scotland, that there are stable, transparent increases in public spending in Scotland," he told a newspaper.

The Inverclyde MP admitted Labour was at fault for allowing the myth to grow that the party sees Scotland as "feeble and has to cling to England before it can achieve anything".

He called for a reframing of the debate around what was in the interests of "ordinary families". The powers of the parliament was a "McChattering classes issue, it's the most inward-looking notion that it begins and ends with discussion about more powers," he said.

The remarks threaten to undermine claims by Ms Alexander that Gordon Brown supports the constitution commission she helped set up.

Although publicly Number 10 has given its support for the commission, the Prime Minister and Labour MPs are annoyed at Ms Alexander for giving too much succour to the Nationalists' argument.

The SNP said London seemed to be stamping its authority over the commission.

SNP MSP Keith Brown said: "Wendy Alexander's commission and her credibility appear to be in real trouble."