Browne will veto Holyrood call to run its own elections

Published on Thursday 24 January 2008 21:00

MINISTERS in London will today open a new front in their battle with the Scottish Government when they knock back Alex Salmond's demand for Holyrood to be given control over its own elections.

The Scotsman has learned that Des Browne, the Scottish Secretary, will tell the First Minister at a meeting in Edinburgh that he sees no need to hand over control of the elections to the Scottish Parliament.

The issue rose to the top of the political agenda after last May's electoral disaster when 140,000 ballot papers were spoiled.

Ron Gould, the Canadian expert who investigated the ballots fiasco, recommended that one body be put in charge of elections in Scotland.

As Holyrood already has control over local elections, the Scottish Government believes it makes sense for it to be given control over its own elections as well – taking that power away from Westminster. But Mr Browne does not want to hand over that power to the Scottish Government and he believes there are other measures that can be taken to prevent a repeat of last year's problems.

A source close to the Scottish Secretary said last night: "Mr Browne will tell the First Minister that it is not likely to happen. He doesn't see the necessity for it. We have identified simple ways to resolve the problems, and handing over control of the elections to the Scottish Parliament is not one of them."

Mr Browne will tell Mr Salmond he intends to separate the ballot papers and restore manual counting for the Scottish elections.

The Scottish Secretary believes these two measures, combined with having the Scottish and local elections on different dates, will prevent any further election chaos.

Mr Browne's decision to reject the First Minister's appeals on this issue will worsen the already rocky relationship between the two governments.

Mr Salmond has given his full backing to the Gould recommendations and he has the support of the Scottish Parliament, which voted to endorse them. Scottish ministers believe that Mr Gould wanted Holyrood to be given control over its own elections.