News In Focus
12 February 2010
Referendum Bill to be published in draft
The Scottish Government's proposed Referendum Bill is to be published first in draft, in a move designed to prevent it being killed off quickly by opposition parties, the First Minister announced yesterday.
Alex Salmond said the draft would be published in the next few weeks with a consultation period of about two months. He still hoped to put the question to the people in November but that would be for the Parliament to decide.
The consultation could include whether to pose a second question on support for extended devolution such as proposed in the Calman Commission report.
Mr Salmond accused the opposition parties of "trickery" in trying to take control of the bill, such as by setting up an additional special committee to consider Margo MacDonald's bill on assisted suicide in order that the convenorship of the Referendum Bill committee went to an opposition member.
However opposition leaders accused Mr Salmond of "dithering" (Tavish Scott) and attempting to "divert attention from the troubles facing his Government" (Annabel Goldie). Labour leader Iain Gray said it was time for him to "put up or shut up".