MPs squabble over referendum

MEMBERS of a Commons committee yesterday publicly traded insults over two inquiries into the SNP’s planned referendum on independence.

The Scottish affairs select committee was holding a meeting to question Liberal Democrat Scottish Secretary Michael Moore but soon became a spat between several of its members.

SNP member Eilidh Whiteford, the MP for Banff and Buchan, attacked the document produced for the committee to lay out proposals for its inquiries into the referendum as being “like a comic book”.

The reference came as she complained about the typeset and size of the word “separation” – a term the SNP objects to in the independence debate.

Labour Glasgow South West MP Ian Davidson hit back by sarcastically apologising for the document having seven type sets.

“We clearly need to be more efficient with out type sets in these times of austerity,” he said.

He was already angered by comments made by Ms Whiteford and SNP First Minister Alex Salmond challenging the legitimacy of the inquiries by the committee into the referendum.

Mr Salmond had argued that the only mandate for this was in the Scottish Parliament, where the SNP won a majority in May.

But Mr Davidson disputed Mr Salmond’s claim by pointing out that the 2010 Westminster election had a greater turnout in Scotland than the Holyrood poll this year.

Mr Davidson added that despite the SNP winning a majority, 100,000 more Scots voted for pro-UK parties than pro-independence ones.

Mr Moore made it clear that UK ministers want a single yes/no question on independence rather than Mr Salmond’s multiple choice poll including devolution max or independence lite.