Tories back more powers for Scottish Parliament

SCOTTISH Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has backed an American style devolution system for the UK as she said that her party had to look at a “new spread” of powers for Holyrood.

Ms Davidson used a keynote speech to suggest that MSPs should be handed extra powers similar to those held by US states which she said had “more scope” and further reach” than the Scottish Parliament’s existing responsibilities.

Her support for enhanced devolution comes despite a pledge made by Ms Davidson during the party’s leadership election in 2011 when she insisted that extending the powers of MSPs beyond the Scotland Bill was a “line in the sand”.

However, Ms Davidson, in a speech to party activists in Edinburgh today, said that the Scottish Conservatives “need to climb on board” the demands for increased powers for Holyrood.

Ms Davidson failed to say which extra powers she wanted to be devolved from Westminster to Holyrood, but said that the issue had to be addressed if Scots reject independence in the 2014 referendum.

She went onto say that the Scottish Conservatives would be “enthusiastic advocates” for a new devolution settlement as she promised to “embrace reform.”