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Scottish referendum 'must be authorised by UK government' Scotland to hold independence poll in 2014 - Salmond
(40 minutes later)
The Scottish Secretary has said it would be unconstitutional for a referendum on Scottish independence to be held without the authority of the UK government. Scotland plans to hold an independence referendum in the autumn of 2014, First Minister Alex Salmond has said.
Michael Moore said the government would devolve the power to hold a poll to the Scottish Parliament only if it was "legal, fair and decisive". He said this date would allow the Scottish people to make a "considered" decision on Scotland's future within the United Kingdom.
And he said he favoured a simple Yes or No question on independence. The news came as the UK government said a referendum would be unconstitutional without its authority.
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond is finalising his referendum plans. It has said it wanted to work with the SNP-led administration amid a row over the timing and conditions for a poll.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) leader said his Cabinet would be putting the "finishing touches" to the consultation paper which will be published later this month and be open to public scrutiny.
'Common interest'
Mr Moore told MPs the power to hold a referendum on Scotland future status within the UK was "reserved" to Westminster under laws passed in 1998 paving the way for a referendum on Scottish devolution.
Any referendum held without the authority of the UK government was likely to be open to legal challenge, he said.
But he said he wanted to work with the SNP - whom he acknowledged had won a majority victory in last year's Scottish election - and it was in their "common interest" that any poll was legal and properly conducted.
"It is essential that the referendum is legal, fair and decisive," he said. "It is not about who is calling the shots. It is about enabling the people of Scotland to participate in a legal referendum."
He added that a referendum should be "made in Scotland, by the people of Scotland".
But the SNP's leader in Westminster, Angus Robertson, accused the UK government of trying to "dictate the terms" of the referendum, including the date when a poll was held, what the question would be and who would be allowed to take part.