Lib Dems 'back more Holyrood power'

Mar 16 2013

The Liberal Democrats are leading the way in a campaign for more powers for Holyrood should Scotland vote against independence, according to the party's Scottish leader Willie Rennie.

Mr Rennie said the Lib Dems, the Conservatives and Labour are moving towards consensus on the country's future, stating that the pro-union parties are "very near a breakthrough moment".

He was speaking at the Lib Dems Scottish conference in Dundee, where party members have also heard from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Chief Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander and Business Secretary Vince Cable.

But away from the set-piece speeches, party members rebelled on key coalition policies on housing benefit reform and so-called "secret courts" legislation.

All but one party member voted for a motion sharply criticising Lib Dem government ministers for their stance on the under occupancy rules, known as the bedroom tax. They called for a halt to the plan, which comes into effect next month, and said ministers had been conspicuously absent from the debate.

Opposition political parties said the Lib Dem leadership must now listen to their own members and ditch the plan.

A rebellion on "secret courts" also risked deflecting attention from Mr Clegg's speech on Friday. Delegates said the provision of the Justice and Security Bill goes against their core values.

The party conference also focused on the constitutional future of the UK, one year before the Scottish independence referendum. Former Scottish Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, said it is time for the Northern Isles to seek autonomy, regardless of the referendum result.

Mr Alexander used his conference speech to look ahead to next week's Budget. He announced new powers to clamp down on companies who avoid tax by putting their payrolls in tax havens, as just one of part of a bigger package of measures.