Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has said that further devolution to Holyrood in coming years must go hand-in-hand with returning powers to the regions.
The Highland MP said that the process of giving Scotland more control over its future after a “no” vote in September’s independence referendum must be a “two-sided coin”.
He insisted that decentralisation from London to Edinburgh must happen in tandem with devolution within Scotland.
Speaking in Westminster, he highlighted the loss of powers in the Highlands and islands in recent years.
The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber said: “Would the minister concur with the view that in the event of Scotland rejecting the independence option in September, the option of devolving power from Westminster and Whitehall represents a post-referendum way forward – but that it can be only one side of a two-sided coin, with the other being more re-dispersal of power within and across Scotland?
“The Highlands and islands have lost power from Highlands and Islands Enterprise to Edinburgh, from the Crofting Commission to Edinburgh, and over regional and local control of our emergency services.
“That is not what those of us who were arguing for devolution, before some Scottish National Party members were, had in mind.”
Cabinet Office minister Greg Clark responded: “The policy and the practice of this government has been to devolve power from this place to our great cities across the country.
“I do not think that has been the policy of the administration in Scotland, who have centralised power and reduced the influence of our great cities north of the border.”