Don’t forget English grievances over devolution, David Cameron told

David Cameron has come under pressure to give as much time to dealing with “English grievances” over devolution as he has on the independence referendum.

The intervention by Labour MP Frank Field was met with support from the Tory back-benches as he challenged the Prime Minister on perceived constitutional inequalities caused by devolution. It came as Mr Cameron accused the SNP of running away from a referendum as he was also pressed by Nationalist Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil on what he meant last week on more powers for Scotland.

And earlier in Scottish questions there was pressure on the government to make sure that if Scotland breaks away from the Union that it takes a Barnett Formula share of debt, which is bigger than its population share. The point raised by Tory Vale of Glamorgan MP Alun Cairns was dismissed by Scottish Secretary Michael Moore who said he “did not envisage Scotland voting for independence”.

Mr Field, MP for Birkenhead, asked Mr Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions: “Will you devote as much time to facing up to the grievances the English feel from the proposals of devolution as you will be giving to considering new proposals of devolution for Scotland?”

But Mr Cameron said: “I want to appeal to my fellow Englishmen to say, ‘This has been a great partnership for Scotland and a great partnership for England too’.”

Western Isles MP Mr MacNeil then told Mr Cameron: “Last week in Edinburgh you said there were more powers on the table for Scotland, but couldn’t name any. Can you name one power you have on your mind in this latest U-turn?”

But Mr Cameron hit back: “I didn’t think the Scottish National Party favoured devolution; I thought you favoured separation. Yet as soon as you’re offered a referendum that gives you the chance to put that in front of the Scottish people, you start running away.”