Salmond rejects MPs’ two inquiries into ‘separation’

WESTMINSTER’S Scottish affairs committee does not have a mandate to discuss an independence referendum, First Minister Alex Salmond has said.

His comments came after MPs opened two inquiries on “a potential referendum on separation for Scotland” last week.

Mr Salmond rejected the committee’s mandate and said that its terms of reference were “pejorative”.

He said: “There is no-one on the Scottish affairs select committee, apart from Eilidh White-ford [SNP MP for Banff and Buchan], that has a mandate to say anything about a referendum, apart from the fact that they are opposed to it.

“The only ones with a mandate to say or do anything are the ones sitting in the Scottish Parliament.”

He added: “Separatism is a pejorative term used in the 1970s to describe independence, and there are few if any countries in the world which would recognise a translation of that.”

Labour MP for Glasgow South West Ian Davidson, the committee’s chairman, said: “People have a right to know the full impact on defence and every other area of Scottish life before a decision is made on whether or not to remain part of the UK.

“The two inquiries my committee have launched will play a major role in clarifying areas of confusion and getting facts on the table.”