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SNP say unionist parties are engaged in “bidding war”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said unionist parties were engaged in a “desperate bidding war” over the future of the Scottish Parliament.

But opposition groups said there was a consensus to give the Scottish Parliament more powers in the event of a No vote in September’s referendum.

Ms Sturgeon, the SNP’s deputy leader, said the Strathclyde Commission’s recommendations showed “the choice is now crystal clear” given the Tories “long record of broken promises to Scotland”.

“There now appears to be a consensus among all parties – even the Conservatives – for more powers for Scotland, but a Yes vote in September is the only way to guarantee those powers are delivered,” she said.

Recommendations to end the “uniform tax and benefits” across the UK had “demolished a central pillar” of the No campaign, she said.

“What we are now seeing is a desperate bidding war from the unionist parties,” she added.

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Purvis said: “A growing centre of common ground has developed. This means that, in the referendum in September, the choice for people is between voting to stay in the UK but to improve it, or the take the increasing risks and unknowns of independence.”

Ben Thomson, chairman of Devo Plus, the cross party group campaigning for a substantially more powerful Scottish Parliament, said the report was a “welcome addition to the range of proposals being offered by the pro-UK parties to advance devolution”.

“The report claims that Holyrood would raise around 40% of what it spends,” he said.

“This compares to Devo Plus’s proposal that the parliament raises almost three-quarters of what it spends, and our Glasgow Agreement, which was designed to unite the pro-UK parties around a single proposal, called for it to raise at least half. In comparison, all pro-UK parties have fallen short.”