JK Rowling urges Labour to clarify DevoMax offer

JK ROWLING yesterday called on Labour to put a firm offer of DevoMax on the table amid signs that the three UK parties will firm up their offer of more powers this week.

Rowling suggested that voters should be offered a deal that would see Holyrood handed all powers, save defence and foreign affairs, in the event of a No vote. Picture: PA

Scotland on Sunday understands that Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems are to provide more detail and more cohesion on their offer to devolve more powers over taxation and benefits to Holyrood.

The Harry Potter author suggested that voters should be offered a deal that would see Holyrood handed all powers, save defence and foreign affairs, in the event of a No vote. Her plea came in a tweet, which said: “Nothing would make me happier than UK Labour stating now that we get DevoMax in the event of No.”

The No side has been criticised for failing to make enough of the fact that all three Unionist parties have pledged to ensure that the Scottish Parliament gains more control over income tax and benefits.

The prospect of a stronger Holyrood was the key theme in a speech made by Douglas Alexander at Glasgow University yesterday.

“We already knew that more powers are coming. The Scottish Parliament gets its first new tax powers next year and also gains new borrowing powers to enable it to make choices about investment in Scotland’s infrastructure, giving it the power to invest to promote economic development and create jobs,” he said.

“Most significant of all in 2016, the parliament gains new powers over income tax, and will be able to set Scottish rates of income tax, and have the freedom to decide whether public expenditure in Scotland should be greater if that’s what the people of Scotland want, and are willing to pay for in taxation.”

He added: “All of the parties agree that the Scottish Parliament should be the primary locus of power, in the sense that matters should only be reserved to Westminster when it is necessary to do so.”

Meanwhile, Yes Scotland will this week send letters from the independence-supporting Monaco-based Scottish businessman Jim McColl to 675,000 target voters.

Former MSP John Swinburne will also front a new Yes campaign appealing to pensioners.