New approach in Holyrood debate

GORDON Brown at last seems prepared to go toe-to-toe with the Scottish National Party. While the SNP is labelling the prime minister’s speech this week as a capitulation in the face of pressure for more power for Holyrood, it could also be a realisation from Labour that its arguments to date have been blunt and ineffectual.

At the Scottish parliamentary elections and the subsequent disastrous by-elections, Labour employed the tactic of scaremongering and telling the Scottish people that independence would never work because they would not be able to handle the responsibility.

Both tactics served only to raise the electorate’s hackles and send support the way of the SNP.

Mr Brown, if he is to not lose Scotland altogether, knows he has to win arguments rather than relying on negative campaigning.

An official commission headed by Sir Kenneth Calman is looking at whether the Scottish Parliament should have more powers.

Mr Brown appears to be softening his approach to tax-raising in Scotland and may be prepared to countenance a more flexible approach to budgeting.

His plans — devolution plus, if you like — would link revenue-raising to economic performance.

At last we are getting somewhere towards the kind of debate that Scotland needs to have.

Mr Brown and Mr Salmond can now duel on a level playing field.

Let battle, or should that be debate, commence.