The UK Government is under fresh pressure to devolve additional powers to the Scottish Parliament before the general election next year.
The SNP and Liberal Democrats teamed up yesterday to vote narrowly in favour of the early transfer of legislation as outlined by the Calman Commission, which would make Scotland more accountable for its own affairs.
Labour and the Conservatives joined forces to try to block the move but lost the vote 63-61.
Labour MSP Pauline McNeill said the party did not support new External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop’s motion because the SNP is trying to achieve independence by “stealth".
“They would cherry-pick the Calman proposals on anything which progresses their view that Scotland should be independent,” she added.
“It is dressed up as a consensual approach but it is purely designed to suit their own agenda.”
Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Dave Thompson said the UK Government must respect the will of MSPs and transfer responsibility for setting drink-driving and speed limits, electoral administration and airgun control to Holyrood.
He added: “The Calman con has been exposed and Labour’s cover has been blown. They have no intention of transferring power and no intention of supporting the Scottish Parliament.
“These transfers are powers that could save lives, yet Labour is happy to push them further and further into the long grass.”
Mr Thompson, who is campaigning for the drink-drive limit to be lowered, claimed there is no technical reason for waiting until after the general election to act.
Liberal Democrat chief whip Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, said: “There is now fresh pressure on the UK Government to move forward on giving the Scottish Parliament more powers.
“The Labour and Tory parties will have to explain to voters at the next election why they are so determined to stand in the way of real change for Scotland.”
The Calman Commission informed on the UK Government’s plan to introduce a new Scotland Bill in the next Westminster parliamentary session. The Tories say they will ditch it and come up with their own proposals if they win the election.