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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'No move' on referendum timetable | 'No move' on referendum timetable |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Scottish Government has refused to speed up its plans for a vote on independence, despite pressure from the Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander. | The Scottish Government has refused to speed up its plans for a vote on independence, despite pressure from the Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander. |
| Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP would not be hurried into changing its timetable for a planned referendum in 2010. | Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP would not be hurried into changing its timetable for a planned referendum in 2010. |
| But Downing Street has refused to support Ms Alexander's backing for a straight yes/no public referendum. | |
| Labour MPs will discuss her proposals during a meeting at Westminster later. | |
| Meanwhile, Ms Alexander is putting her plans to Labour MSPs during their regular group meeting at Holyrood. | |
| Ms Sturgeon branded Ms Alexander's call a "panic reaction by a party that's plummeting at the polls" and claimed the Scottish Labour leader was behaving "erratically". | Ms Sturgeon branded Ms Alexander's call a "panic reaction by a party that's plummeting at the polls" and claimed the Scottish Labour leader was behaving "erratically". |
| Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, Ms Sturgeon said: "If Wendy Alexander really does now support an independence referendum, clearly I and the SNP welcome her very warmly indeed. | Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, Ms Sturgeon said: "If Wendy Alexander really does now support an independence referendum, clearly I and the SNP welcome her very warmly indeed. |
| The position taken by the Labour Party leader is a matter for her Spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown | The position taken by the Labour Party leader is a matter for her Spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown |
| "But we have to inject a note of caution here, Wendy Alexander's behaviour is erratic in the extreme. | "But we have to inject a note of caution here, Wendy Alexander's behaviour is erratic in the extreme. |
| "It's only a few weeks ago she said she was implacably opposed to a referendum, she's just set up a constitutional commission that expressly excludes the option of independence. | "It's only a few weeks ago she said she was implacably opposed to a referendum, she's just set up a constitutional commission that expressly excludes the option of independence. |
| "So, who knows what her position will be this time next week, let alone in six months time." | "So, who knows what her position will be this time next week, let alone in six months time." |
| But Ms Alexander insisted it was important for the issue to be settled sooner rather than later. | But Ms Alexander insisted it was important for the issue to be settled sooner rather than later. |
| She said: "[The Scottish Government] are now suggesting they won't bring the legislation in until 2010. | She said: "[The Scottish Government] are now suggesting they won't bring the legislation in until 2010. |
| "Given it takes about nine months to debate a bill the Scottish Parliament, that means that we could be looking at the issue not being resolved until weeks before the next Scottish election. | "Given it takes about nine months to debate a bill the Scottish Parliament, that means that we could be looking at the issue not being resolved until weeks before the next Scottish election. |
| "I think that uncertainty is damaging, a lot of Scots think it is damaging - we should get on with it." | "I think that uncertainty is damaging, a lot of Scots think it is damaging - we should get on with it." |
| Meanwhile, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman, when asked repeatedly whether he supported Ms Alexander's stance, said: "The position taken by the Labour Party leader [Wendy Alexander] is a matter for her." | |
| The spokesman said Mr Brown was confident in the strength of the argument and that any calls for independence would be defeated. | The spokesman said Mr Brown was confident in the strength of the argument and that any calls for independence would be defeated. |
| The Labour Westminster group meeting on Tuesday evening was pre-arranged to allow MPs to question Chancellor Alistair Darling, but Ms Alexander's stance will be discussed, according to a source. |