 | 'We, gathered as the Scottish Constitutional Convention, do hereby acknowledge the sovereign right of the Scottish people to determine the form of Government best suited to their needs, and do hereby declare and pledge that in all our actions and deliberations their interests shall be paramount..' The Claim of Right - signed by every Scottish Labour MP (including Brian Wilson), except Tam Dalyell |  |
LABOUR were at the centre of another storm over devolution last night after they admitted that their Scottish Parliament would be hog-tied at birth to prevent it extending its powers or staging a referendum to move on towards independence.The intention of Westminster to keep the Edinburgh Parliament on a tight leash was first revealed by Labour's campaign co-ordinator Brian Wilson during a discussion on Irish radio, in what both Labour's allies within the Home Rule movement and Nationalist opponents agreed was another devolution gaffe.
Confronted with a transcript of his comments last night, Mr Wilson discussed the matter with Shadow Scottish Secretary George Robertson and released a statement saying: "A Scottish Parliament's devolution powers will be clearly defined and will not include the power to create a separate Scottish state.
"It obviously cannot hold a binding referendum on something it does not have power to legislate for. As usual the nationalists are trying to make bricks without straw.
"There was nothing new or different in what I said. It merely emphasises that Labour is offering a solution which is firmly inside the UK.
"What the SNP cannot swallow is that only a minority of the Scottish people support their central aim. They want to talk about an improbable future scenario rather than the real life one in which they are defending precisely four seats."
The SNP called Mr Wilson's comments "an historic admission and gaffe of enormous proportions," while the Campaign for a Scottish Parliament accused him of "confused thinking" and paternalism.
For the Scottish Constitutional Convention, the convener of the executive Canon Kenyon Wright said he stood by the Claim of Right view that the Scottish people were sovereign and therefore free to choose whatever style of government they wanted.
On Thursday RTE broadcaster Vincent Brown asked Mr Wilson about the power of Westminster to abolish a future Scottish Parliament, even one set up after a referendum. Mr Wilson said that was a technical possibility, but added: "I think it's inconceivable that that state of affairs would arise."
Mr Brown then asked: "So if a Scottish Parliament were to decide itself to ballot the Scottish people on the issue of independence, would it be free to do that?" Mr Wilson sounded nonplused, then said: "A local authority in Scotland, Strathclyde, held a very important referendum on water privatisation, which was influential, but it was not . . ." The line petered out, perhaps because it carried echoes of Mr Blair's recent "parish council" comments.
He then tried again to answer the question: "If your are talking about legislation which broke up the UK then that is clearly a matter for the UK Parliament because whether it is right or wrong, it certainly affects the whole of the UK.
"Advisory referendums are one thing, but if you are talking about legislation which has the consequence of turning the various parts of the UK into separate states then clearly that is a UK matter."
Mr Brown then pressed him on where that left the Claim of Right and the Scots' ability to choose their own form of government. Mr Wilson replied: "The way the system works and the rule which the SNP has always chosen to accept is that their first step is to win a majority of seats in an election.
"They have never come remotely close to doing that and I know of no suggestion that they are proceeding on a different road."
Canon Kenyon Wright said last night: "Every political party has already recognised that if there were a majority in Scotland for independence that would have to be recognised.
"I stand by the Claim of Right. If the people of Scotland want independence they can have it. If they want the status quo. . . or devolution they can have it. That's what the Claim of Right means.
"Unfortunately only a Westminster Parliament can enact devolution but everyone who signed the Claim of Right must recognise that ultimately the people have a right to decide."
SNP chief executive Michael Russell, who was on RTE with Mr Wilson, said: "Every time a senior New Labour figure talks about their assembly it becomes more and more like Blair's parish council.
"To deny the Scottish Assembly the right to organise and run a definitive referendum on Scottish independence is outrageous.
"But to add insult to injury Brian Wilson simply says that's the way the system works. Westminster will always keep the power.
"Brian Wilson is showing his true colours as a man who campaigned with vigour and venom against devolution in 1979 and still hates the possibility of any real power returning to Scotland."
Moira Craig, convener of the Campaign for a Scottish Parliament, said: "Mr Wilson's statement is a product of very confused thinking.
"It is clear to us that if the Scottish people decided in a Scottish Parliament ballot they wanted to have independence, to be annexed to Spain, or to become the next state of the United States, then they have that right. He signed the Claim of Right but he is guilty of a misunderstanding of what it means."
Scottish Liberal Democrat chief executive Andy Myles, who was also on the programme, said: "Brian Wilson's problem was that he was hoist on the petard of sovereignty and everything Blair is saying about that resting with him as an English MP.
"Sovereignty rests with the Scottish People and New Labour are in a complete shambles over this." - Apr 22
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