Angus MacDonald for Falkirk East

Commenting on the publication of the latest report by the Westminster
Scottish Affairs Committee SNP Deputy Leader at Westminster, Stewart
Hosie MP, said:

“This entire exercise has been exposed as bogus by Ian Davidson’s
outburst on the BBC’s Newsnight Scotland last week, compounding the
Westminster Committee’s failure even to get the name of the Scottish
Government’s constitutional policy right – the SNP stand for an
independent Scotland, and a new relationship of equality with our
friends and neighbours.

“Mr Davidson and his anti-independence colleagues have to understand
that the days of Westminster trying to lay down the law to the people
of Scotland on our nation’s constitutional future are well and truly
over.

“The real issue is that the terms and timing of the referendum must be
decided in Scotland, by the Scottish Parliament – not dictated by a
Tory-led Westminster government – and that includes a possible ‘more
powers’ option, which is supported by a broad range of opinion in
Scotland, including the STUC.  It is only right that these matters are
carefully and properly considered, which is exactly what the Scottish
Government are doing.  The Scottish Government’s referendum
consultation received nearly ten-times the number of responses than
the UK Government consultation, and is quite properly being subject to
outside, independent analysis.

“In January, Labour, SNP and Lib Dem MSPs voted in to endorse the
Claim of Right for Scotland, and uphold ‘the sovereign right of the
Scottish people to determine the form of government best suited to
their needs’ – which means that the terms of the referendum must be
decided in Scotland, and therefore requires proper consideration of a
‘more powers’ option.  Once again, anti-independence politicians at
Westminster are failing to catch up with the reality of Scotland.

“The latest polls put support for independence ahead of both the
status quo and more devolved powers, and we believe that we can and
will achieve a Yes vote for independence in the autumn 2014
referendum.”