SNP urges political rivals to back key Calman proposals

THE SNP has thrown down the gauntlet to the unionist parties to back key proposals from the Calman Commission to give Holyrood more powers.

It came as splits began to open up among the three parties backing the Calman Commission process, amid accusations that the Conservatives want to push the report "into the long grass".

SNP ministers yesterday started the formal process which could lead to the swift hand-over of powers over drink-driving, speed limits and airguns to the Scottish Parliament by putting down orders in Holyrood and challenging UK ministers to do the same. The SNP's constitution minister, Mike Russell, said there was no point in waiting to push through reforms that all the parties agreed on.

The one area of disagreement is over taxation, where the SNP believe that proposals to give Holyrood control over almost half of income tax raised in Scotland is meaningless.

The SNP has pointed out that the commission's chairman, Sir Kenneth Calman, agreed with their approach. In an interview on 15 June he said: "I think there are lots of bits, as I mentioned, which I think can be implemented quickly and easily without too much fuss."

However, the SNP's gambit was damned as being a "political stunt" by the other three main parties, who believe the whole report needs to be considered as a single package. Tory leader Annabel Goldie said: "The SNP is dancing to the unionist jig."

But Ms Goldie was also having to defend her party's approach to the Calman proposals after she said the process "should not be rushed".

Ms Goldie has had to acknowledge concerns from a rebel group of more than a third of her party's MSPs, who are sceptical about devolving more powers to Scotland.

David Cameron has been silent on the commission's report since its publication.

A spokesman for Ms Goldie said: "We have a duty to carefully consider the report, especially as it is likely that it will be a Conservative government in Westminster which has to deliver the changes."

However, there was anger from inside the commission. One member said: "The Conservatives should be careful what they do, because if they put this report into the long grass and just shelve it, they will become the anti-devolution party again."

BUDGET ROW

THE Scottish Government was criticised yesterday for failing to build up a fighting fund for the recession, after it emerged it had underspent its budget by only 31 million last year.

The total underspend for 2008-9 was a record low and was hailed as a victory by finance secretary John Swinney, who said that it proved that the Scottish Government was using its resources efficiently and not allowing money to go to waste by being sent back to the Treasury.

Several years ago the Labour-led executive was criticised for underspending its budget by 600m, including 400m for health services. But a Conservative spokesman said: "At these times of recession, when we need care with public spending, spending all the budget and not making savings is not necessarily something to be proud of."