Fury over Salmond threat to meddle in England-only laws
ALEX Salmond has signalled that Nationalist MPs could agree to vote on English- only legislation as part of a deal to prop up a Labour government.
The former First Minister, who wants to be ‘kingmaker’ if there is another hung parliament, suggested the SNP’s stance could be decided on a vote-by-vote basis.
By convention, the party’s MPs often sit out of Commons votes involving issues devolved to Holyrood. However, Mr Salmond hopes that a minority
‘Facing claims of hypocrisy’
Labour administration will find itself relying on SNP support in crucial votes to keep Ed Miliband in office after May’s General Election.
Hinting that he may abandon the current convention, he said: ‘There will be many things that come across the Westminster desk that would be of little moment to Scottish people, but will be of great moment to the government of the day.’
Voting on English- only laws would spark claims of hypocrisy, as the SNP has complained about decisions made by the Tories being imposed on Scot- land, when the party only has one seat north of the Border.
But not a single voter in England will back the Nationalists at the next election, yet could find policy decisions influenced by Mr Salmond and his colleagues.
The threat is likely to give new impetus to Tory plans that would bar Scots MPs from voting on devolved issues – so-called Eng- lish Votes for English Laws. With more powers devolved to Holyrood, vast tracts of tax and welfare legislation would become offlimits to Scots MPs.
Mr Salmond, who wants to return to Westminster as MP for Gordon, believes the SNP could seize more powers for Holyrood if there is a hung parliament. ‘That’s an opportunity to have delivered to Scotland what we have been promised,’ he said.
Polls indicate that British voters are set to return a hung parliament for the second election in succession.
The SNP has indicated that in such circumstances, it would not prop up a Tory-led government – but could offer support to Labour in return for costly concessions.
Tory MP Stewart Jackson has expressed alarm over the ‘threat of a Miliband-SNP government’ ruling the UK.