Cameron: I'll fix devolution

The Conservative leader, writing in Scotland on Sunday, says if he is installed in 10 Downing Street, he will insist on far closer relations between the two administrations than has occurred under Labour.

And he reveals that SNP ministers and Tory shadow ministers have begun talks to discuss their potential roles, with discussions between Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney and shadow chancellor George Osborne having taken place.

Cameron condemns Prime Minister Gordon Brown for failing to put aside party differences between Labour and the SNP. It emerged last week that Brown and First Minister Alex Salmond have not met since April last year.

Cameron's blueprint for devolution comes as the odds narrow on him becoming prime minister in the next election, expected next year. The latest polls show that the Conservatives are 12 points ahead of Labour. Tory strategists have begun discussions on how to counter the SNP argument, likely to be made after that election, that a Conservative government has no mandate to run Scotland. The party has only one MP north of the border, David Mundell, and even optimistic sources concede the party will fail to win enough Scottish Westminster seats to hit double figures.

A 'respect' agenda is now being discussed by Cameron's aides. Three of the leader's close allies – shadow education secretary Michael Gove, leader of the House of Lords, Lord Strathclyde, and shadow defence secretary Liam Fox – are Scots.

Cameron writes today: "If we win the next election at Westminster, we would govern with a maturity and a respect for the Scottish people. I would be a prime minister that would work constructively with any administration at Holyrood for the good of Scotland."

He adds: "If we are going to make devolution work effectively we need more co-operation at all levels, not just the very highest. That means the Secretary of State for Scotland having monthly meetings with the First Minister. That means Cabinet ministers in Westminster talking to their counterparts in Holyrood. That also means officials in Whitehall talking to officials in St Andrews House (the Scottish Government's HQ]. And instead of completely refusing to appear before Scottish Parliament committees as Labour's ministers do, our ministers would be open to reasonable requests."

Cameron said it was "amazing" that Salmond and Brown had not met in almost a year. "If the First Minister had something close to a workable relationship with the Prime Minister throughout this economic crisis, we would have had fewer arguments and more action."

He adds that the Tories will "back the constitutional settlement" and says that there is "room for improvement" in the current set-up. Last week, the Scottish Tories gave cautious backing to calls for Holyrood to be given powers to borrow.

But Labour hit back against Cameron last night, pointing out that the Tories had opposed devolution before putting forward candidates as MSPs. A Labour spokesman said:

"The stark difference between Gordon Brown and David Cameron is that the Prime Minister knows and understands Scotland, whereas Mr Cameron comes here on occasional deer-stalking holidays." Labour also

rejected Cameron's claims that relations between Edinburgh and London were broken, pointing out that UK and SNP ministers met regularly.

The SNP said that it would co-operate with any UK administration "in the best interests of Scotland". But a source close to the First Minister said: "No amount of warm words from the Tories will wipe out the memories the people of Scotland have of the damage inflicted on the country during 18 long years of Conservative rule."

Cameron also backs the tactics of Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie, who supported the SNP Government's Budget last week, claiming that the Conservatives had won 234m of concessions from the Nationalist administration. But Cameron insists that his plans for a close working relationship with the SNP do not entail a weakening of support for the Union.

He declares: "If elected, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the SNP will not be able to split up the UK."