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Call to lance 'independence boil' Alexander: 'I'm not the problem'
(about 1 hour later)
The row over an independence referendum is expected to dominate first minister's questions at Holyrood. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has claimed that nobody takes Labour seriously as the independence referendum row continued.
Alex Salmond has accused Labour of "disarray" over separate comments by Gordon Brown and Wendy Alexander. His comments came as he squared up to Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander during question time at Holyrood.
Critics have also accused the Scottish Labour leader of making the Calman Commission on constitutional change redundant by calling for an early poll. Meanwhile, CBI Scotland director Iain McMillan has branded the issue a "boil on Scotland's neck that needs lanced". Ms Alexander has called for an early referendum, but the Scottish Government will not budge from its current plans to stage it in 2010.
He said the country should move quickly to hold a vote and settle the issue. She said Mr Salmond was "the problem", not her.
Mr McMillan is a member of the 15-strong Calman Commission reviewing devolution on behalf of Scottish Labour, the Scottish Tories and the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Ms Alexander said it was in the nation's interest to resolve the issue.
Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm has also come to Ms Alexander's defence, insisting that her call for an early referendum was right, and that her position was safe. Labour was accused of being in disarray on the issue after Prime Minister Gordon Brown failed to explicitly support Ms Alexander's stance during question time at the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Gordon Brown holds Wendy Alexander in the highest regard and trusts her political judgement Malcolm Chisholm MSP At first minister's questions, Ms Alexander urged Mr Salmond to end the uncertainty which a 2010 referendum was causing and speed up the process.
He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "It's absolutely safe because she has widespread support not only within the Labour Party but I believe throughout Scotland." But Mr Salmond said the SNP would stick to its manifesto pledge, adding: "This is a serious process, which is why we're engaging it in a serious way."
Mr Chisholm went on to say that Mr Brown "holds Wendy Alexander in the highest regard and trusts her political judgement". He went on: "It is impossible for anyone outside the Labour Party - and I think most people in it - to take the Labour Party seriously after the last few days."
The debate about the referendum took a new twist on Wednesday when the prime minister failed to explicitly support Ms Alexander's stance during question time at the House of Commons. Ms Alexander told MSPs: "I'm not the problem, Labour's not the problem, the legislative timetable's not the problem, even [deputy Scottish first minister] Nicola Sturgeon isn't the problem.
Conservative Party leader David Cameron had asked Mr Brown if he agreed with the Scottish Labour leader that there should be a referendum now on independence. "The first minister is the problem when it comes to resolving this issue in the nation's interest."
Devolution commission
"That is not what she has said," Mr Brown replied, adding that Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats had joined forces to set up the independent Calman Commission on devolution.
Mr Chisholm, who is Labour MSP for Edinburgh North and Leith, said there was no contradiction between Ms Alexander and Mr Brown. He added: "What she said was quite simple - she said the SNP should bring the referendum bill forward in the interests of Scotland.
"There is absolutely no contradiction between what Gordon Brown said about Calman and what Wendy Alexander has been saying about a referendum.
"Of course we need a choice - but we also need to have the Calman Commission to review, and I believe extend, the powers of the Scottish Parliament within the UK."