Scottish independence: SNP leaps on Boris Johnson’s ‘devo-max for Londoners ‘plan

THE SNP has challenged the Conservatives to explain why they appeared to back extra powers for London but rejected a devo-max settlement for Scotland.

Stewart Hosie, the SNP treasury spokesman, was reacting to plans unveiled by Boris Johnson to allow Londoners to keep more of the tax revenue they generate in order to improve public services in the capital.

The London mayor said the equivalent of £2,500 for every Londoner goes to other parts of the UK rather than being spent in the city.

Mr Hosie said: “Boris Johnson has set the cat amongst the pigeons with his plans for devo-max for London. The Tories now need to explain why they are saying ‘yes’ to powers for London and ‘no’ to powers for Scotland. We need clarity from David Mundell and Ruth Davidson who have, so far, been silent on where they stand. The Scottish Tories could not even agree on a submission to their own government’s consultation on the referendum – the only party not to respond.

“So people in Scotland need to know – do they agree with Boris Johnson or is this yet further evidence that the Tories are planning to cut Scotland’s funding if the anti-independence parties get their desired ‘no’ vote and maintain the constitutional status quo.”

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “This Conservative government has delivered the biggest transfer of fiscal powers to Scotland in over 300 years in the form of the Scotland Bill. If the SNP are so concerned about Scotland’s constitutional future, why don’t they get on with a referendum.”