18 January 2008
The three opposition parties for Scotland have joined forces in an effort to pre-empt the Scottish National Party government's drive for independence.
At a meeting in Westminster this week, the Scottish leaders of the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties met UK Scottish Secretary Des Browne and his opposition counterparts to discuss setting up a constitutional commission on increased powers for the Scottish Parliament.
The move is in defiance of the plans of the SNP, which is consulting on independence.
In a joint statement, the leaders said that a majority in the Scottish Parliament had voted for a constitutional commission. 'The nationalist conversation set up by the minority SNP administration has no such mandate,' they said.
The purpose of the commission 'would be to support and develop devolution in the context of Scotland's place as an integral part of the UK', they said.
The outcome of the talks indicates that progress is now being made, despite suggestions that Gordon Brown and the Westminster parties have doubts about the proposal and are reluctant to see it given a high profile.
PFjan2008
