Former first minister Alex Salmond has accused the Conservatives of changing their minds over whether Scottish MPs should vote on the issue of tuition fees for English students.
The Gordon MP said the SNP was lobbied in 2004 by the then-Tory opposition and Labour rebels to vote against the top-up fees proposal on the basis it would have a knock-on effect through the Barnett Formula.
But during yesterday’s debate on English Votes for English Laws (Evel) in the Commons, the Leader of the House Chris Grayling indicated it would be a matter reserved for English MPs under the new rules.
The senior Tory said: “Although English MPs voted against it, it was only as a result of the votes of Scottish MPs that it was carried, but it did not apply to students in Scotland.
“That is a very simple example. If a measure is to be applied to a group of people in England and not in Scotland, is it really unreasonable to suggest that English MPs should have the decisive say over that change?”
Meanwhile, Scottish affairs committee chairman Pete Wishart has hailed federalism as the solution to the problem of the “asymmetric UK”.
Speaking in the same debate, the senior SNP MP said: “There is a solution – it is called federalism. It is what we thought we were voting for last year, what we were promised was as close as possible to federalism, or to home rule.”
He outlined a scenario where the respective countries each do their own thing but come together to decide “important” matters, such as defence, international relationships, the monarchy and currency.
He also announced that the SNP would be bringing forward amendments to the UK Government’s plans for Evel.