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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| 'No U-turn' on independence vote | 'No U-turn' on independence vote |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott has insisted his party is not about to perform a U-turn over a Scottish independence referendum. | Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott has insisted his party is not about to perform a U-turn over a Scottish independence referendum. |
| He dismissed reports that some senior Lib Dems backed an early vote as the effects of "heady sea air" and too many pina coladas. | He dismissed reports that some senior Lib Dems backed an early vote as the effects of "heady sea air" and too many pina coladas. |
| Treasury spokesman Vince Cable warned on Monday that a Tory election victory could spark a constitutional crisis. | Treasury spokesman Vince Cable warned on Monday that a Tory election victory could spark a constitutional crisis. |
| His comments fuelled speculation the party was reviewing its strategy. | His comments fuelled speculation the party was reviewing its strategy. |
| Mr Cable told a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth: "I think that within a year's time, maybe two years' time, there will be a major constitutional crisis in Britain. | Mr Cable told a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth: "I think that within a year's time, maybe two years' time, there will be a major constitutional crisis in Britain. |
| "There is a scenario looming up. We hope it won't happen, but we may get a Conservative government - certainly the polls suggest that might happen - and the whole future of the United Kingdom will come into question." | "There is a scenario looming up. We hope it won't happen, but we may get a Conservative government - certainly the polls suggest that might happen - and the whole future of the United Kingdom will come into question." |
| PINA COLADA BLUES Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland political editor | |
| There is, as I recall, a rather deft little ditty entitled: "Blame it on the bossa nova." It even featured in an episode of the West Wing. | |
| Tavish Scott, it appears, is inclined to look elsewhere for his causal link of choice. On BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme this morning, he blamed it on the pina colada at his party's Bournemouth conference. | |
| The import of his wireless words was that one or two excitable delegates had been so fired up by a lethal combination of sea air and Latin liquor that their thoughts instantly turned to... the prospect of a referendum on Scottish independence, no doubt conducted via the single transferable vote. Brian Taylor's blog | |
| The Scotsman newspaper reported that senior figures in the party now believed that supporting an early referendum was the best chance of maintaining the union. | The Scotsman newspaper reported that senior figures in the party now believed that supporting an early referendum was the best chance of maintaining the union. |
| A party source was quoted as saying: "There is serious consideration being given to it. The fact is, by 2011, the SNP could be governing with a majority. | A party source was quoted as saying: "There is serious consideration being given to it. The fact is, by 2011, the SNP could be governing with a majority. |
| "Labour, having lost the general election, will still be tearing itself apart and in no way to fight for the union." | "Labour, having lost the general election, will still be tearing itself apart and in no way to fight for the union." |
| However, Mr Scott vigorously denied any change in strategy. | However, Mr Scott vigorously denied any change in strategy. |
| He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Inevitably during a conference the heady sea air, and possibly one or two pina coladas, get a little too much for one or two colleagues. | He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Inevitably during a conference the heady sea air, and possibly one or two pina coladas, get a little too much for one or two colleagues. |
| "The serious point here is that the Liberal Democrats are absolutely united in opposing independence. That's been the absolutely key discussion behind the scenes among all of us." | "The serious point here is that the Liberal Democrats are absolutely united in opposing independence. That's been the absolutely key discussion behind the scenes among all of us." |
| He said there was inevitably a bit of "conference chatter" about the best way to tackle different issues. | He said there was inevitably a bit of "conference chatter" about the best way to tackle different issues. |
| But he added: "There is going to be no change in the position. | But he added: "There is going to be no change in the position. |
| "We don't believe that we should concentrate at this time on referenda on independence, on all those kinds of arguments, when 75,000 more people lost their jobs in Scotland this year." | "We don't believe that we should concentrate at this time on referenda on independence, on all those kinds of arguments, when 75,000 more people lost their jobs in Scotland this year." |
| Mr Scott and party leader Nick Clegg had earlier rejected similar calls for an early referendum from two Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidates. | Mr Scott and party leader Nick Clegg had earlier rejected similar calls for an early referendum from two Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidates. |