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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Paul Hutcheon

Douglas Ross tells Scots Holyrood should have no more powers from Westminster

Embattled Scots Tory leader Douglas Ross has insisted Holyrood should not be handed any new powers.

Ross, who is said to be fighting for his job amid concerns over his performance, called for a "line in the sand" to be drawn on devolution.

Labour leader Keir Starmer told the Record this year that further powers for the Parliament would be a priority for a Government he led.

A plan for wide-ranging constitutional change has been drawn up by former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but remains unpublished.

In comments at the Conservative conference yesterday, Ross criticised Labour’s approach and claimed devolving more to Holyrood would be wrong.

"For me and the Scottish Conservatives, there is a line in the sand," he said.

"We absolutely want to ensure that Holyrood works to its maxi-mum, delivers for people and communities across Scotland with the potential it has as one of the most powerful devolved administrations anywhere in the world.

"But Labour's plans to add more and more powers is simply the wrong route to take and the Scottish Conservatives are saying let's use these powers, let's use the powers we have right now, a line in the sand, no further powers need to be devolved. We just need to get the Government working properly and getting the right priorities."

The “line in the sand” remark echoed the same statement by ex Scots Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who u-turned by supporting extra powers after the independence referendum.

Ross added: "If Labour think the answer to the problems of the Nationalists wanting to divide us all over again is simply devolve more powers then they have got that completely wrong.

"What we've heard from Gordon Brown, the former Labour Prime Minister who has been tasked by Keir Starmer to come up with Labour's response to the calls from the Nationalists for more division and to separate Scotland is to just devolve more powers.

"I think that is the wrong approach. What I would like is a Scottish parliament that uses the immense powers it has right now to deliver for people across Scotland."

Despite Labour’s support for boosting Holyrood’s powers, two former party leaders last week warned about focusing on the issue.

Jim Murphy said: “Let's not pretend that a debate about powers is a route back to power.”

Lord McConnell said: “We've seen an endless debate since 2007 about more powers, which I think is a blind alley.”

Scottish Labour constitution spokesman Sarah Boyack said: "The Tories have undermined devolution and been a gift to the SNP. Scotland is being failed by the divisive politics of the Tories and the SNP, but Labour's plans will deliver a fairer, greener, and stronger Scotland within a renewed and reformed UK."

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