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Scottish independence: Scotland will get more powers, George Osborne says Scottish independence: Timetable on new Scots powers to be outlined 'in days'
(about 4 hours later)
Voters in Scotland are to be offered a plan for further devolution following a "No" vote, according to UK Chancellor George Osborne. UK Chancellor George Osborne has promised a timetable for further devolution if voters in Scotland reject independence at the ballot box.
Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Mr Osborne said the plan would set out more powers on tax, welfare, and spending. The pledge came on the day a YouGov poll suggested the Yes Scotland campaign for independence had taken a narrow lead.
However, Whitehall sources suggested no detailed powers package had been agreed. Mr Osborne told the BBC a "plan of action" on more powers would be detailed in the coming days.
Alex Salmond said new proposals at this stage would be a "panicky measure". Alex Salmond said new proposals at this stage would lack credibility.
Mr Osborne's announcement came as one poll put the "Yes" side narrowly ahead for the first time. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, the Conservative's Mr Osborne said: "You will see in the next few days a plan of action to give more powers to Scotland; more tax powers, more spending powers, more powers over the welfare state.
He said: "You will see in the next few days a plan of action to give more powers to Scotland; more tax powers, more spending powers, more powers over the welfare state.
"That will be put into effect the moment there is a 'No' vote in the referendum.""That will be put into effect the moment there is a 'No' vote in the referendum."
He said this would give Scotland the "best of both worlds" by avoiding what he called "the risks of separation" but having "more control over their own destiny".He said this would give Scotland the "best of both worlds" by avoiding what he called "the risks of separation" but having "more control over their own destiny".
BBC political correspondent Tim Reid said Whitehall sources suggested the proposal would be centred on the areas of overlap between the competing offers which the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats have already made. Voters in Scotland go to the polls on Thursday, 18 September, when they will be asked the "Yes/No" question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"
In an interview with BBC Scotland's Sunday Politics, Scotland's first minister responded to Mr Osborne's pledge by saying: "Are we expected to believe, after hundreds of thousands have already voted, that there's a radical new deal?
What are the No parties offering?
"This is a panicky measure made because the 'Yes' side is winning on the ground. They're trying to bribe us, but it won't work as they have no credibility left."
BBC political correspondent Tim Reid said Whitehall sources suggested the pro-Union proposal would be centred on the areas of overlap between the competing offers which the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats have already made.
These powers include areas such as some taxes, the work programme and some benefits.These powers include areas such as some taxes, the work programme and some benefits.
The source said: "We are signalling that we are going to work together on a wide-ranging act based on consensus between the parties. The Chancellor didn't say that a detailed agreement had been reached."The source said: "We are signalling that we are going to work together on a wide-ranging act based on consensus between the parties. The Chancellor didn't say that a detailed agreement had been reached."
'No credibility' Leader of the pro-Union Better Together campaign, Alistair Darling, later clarified what the chancellor had meant.
Speaking on Sunday Politics Scotland, Mr Salmond said any proposal at this stage lacked credibility. In an interview with Sky News, the former Labour chancellor said: "What we're talking about is the powers that have already been announced by the party leaders in Scotland and in Westminster.
He questioned: "Are we expected to believe, after hundreds of thousands have already voted, that there's a radical new deal? "What the government is saying is that it proposes to publish a timetable - the procedure - to allow these proposals to be implemented.
"This is a panicky measure made because the 'Yes' side is winning on the ground." "So, it's not new powers; the powers have already been announced. What it is, is about the process and timetable so that people can see quite clearly how quickly these powers can be introduced."
Mr Salmond added: "They're trying to bribe us, but it won't work as they have no credibility left." What are the issues of the referendum?
Analysis As the people of Scotland weigh up how to vote in the independence referendum, they are asking questions on a range of topics.
Glenn Campbell, BBC Scotland news But what issues are important? Explore our special Scotland Decides website, where you find more on the economy; energy; pensions; citizenship; relations with the rest of the UK; EU membership; defence and broadcasting.
There has not been a single independently commissioned poll suggesting a lead for the 'Yes' campaign. Until now. The UK government said the timetable for new powers for Scotland would not break referendum purdah period rules.
After more than two years of official referendum campaigning, YouGov's 51-49 tally (when don't knows are excluded) is a first. The Holyrood and Westminster administrations are prohibited from publishing anything which argues "for or against a particular outcome" during purdah.
What's even more remarkable is that it comes from the pollster that has until very recently given the 'No' side the most comfort. A spokesman for the UK government told the BBC that the offer would come from the pro-Union parties, not the government itself.
A month ago YouGov put 'No' more than 20 points ahead of 'Yes'. Last week, it suggested the gap had narrowed to six points. BBC Scotland's political editor Brian Taylor explains that political purdah means different things for different people. But essentially it refers to the specified period prior to an election when governments desist from making announcements designed to impress the people and, thus, win votes for their party.
The trend in YouGov's polling suggests the race is getting tighter. That should motivate both sides. With just 11 days of campaigning left, both sides are stepping up their bids for the wavering voters who could yet sway the result.
Those who want Scotland to remain in the UK know they cannot take victory for granted. The final push for votes comes as a a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times suggested that, of those who have made up their mind, 51% planned to back independence, while 49% intended to vote no.
That is perhaps why the Chancellor, George Osborne, has announced plans to set out a timetable for the delivery of more devolved powers if there's a 'No' vote. The poll of 1,084 people, carried out between 2 and 5 September, is the first and only serious study to put the Yes campaign ahead.
Those who favour independence worry about peaking too early. They don't want their supporters to get carried away. The cross-party Better Together campaign had previously retained a lead in polls, often reaching double digits.
That's probably why Yes Scotland's published its own Panelbase poll suggesting No is ahead 52-48 (when don't knows are taken out). However, a separate poll for the Yes Scotland campaign put the pro-Union camp four points ahead - by 52% to 48% - when undecided voters were excluded.
It's also stressing the hard work that still needs to be done, with the deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, insisting the yes side are still the "underdogs". Pollsters Panelbase questioned voters between 2 and 6 September.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown said further devolution would satisfy a desire within Scotland for change. John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, said that "until another pollster confirms that there has indeed been a substantial swing to Yes there will inevitably be some doubt about just how much the progress the Yes side has made".
He said: "I think most Scots are in a position where they want change.
"They will want a stronger parliament and they will want to stay part of the United Kingdom for these basic services which are important for all of us."
He added: "I want a Scottish Parliament, I want stronger powers therefore I want change to make it stronger, but I also want to share our resources with the rest of the United Kingdom and that will better pensions, better healthcare, more jobs and better security."
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's deputy first minster, welcomed the tightening of the polls and rejected the talk of more devolved powers for Scotland.Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's deputy first minster, welcomed the tightening of the polls and rejected the talk of more devolved powers for Scotland.
She said: "I don't think people are going to take this seriously.She said: "I don't think people are going to take this seriously.
"If the other parties had been serious about more powers, then something concrete would have been put forward before now.""If the other parties had been serious about more powers, then something concrete would have been put forward before now."
Elsewhere, Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones said that whatever is on the table must apply to the other UK countries. Elsewhere, Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones said that whatever was on the table must apply to the other UK countries.
He said: "Whatever further devolution is offered to Scotland must also be offered to Wales and Northern Ireland.He said: "Whatever further devolution is offered to Scotland must also be offered to Wales and Northern Ireland.
"The method and structure of devolution should be the same across the UK, even if the devolved powers may be different.""The method and structure of devolution should be the same across the UK, even if the devolved powers may be different."
People in Scotland will go to the polls on Thursday 18 September.