Downing Street Says

Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with Wendy Alexander’s comments this morning, the PMS said that the Prime Minister’s position was set out very clearly in the House of Commons yesterday. We went round this course at great length yesterday and the PMS was more than happy to go round the course this afternoon, but he did not really have anything to add to what he or the Prime Minister had said yesterday.

Put that Mr Cameron was writing another letter to the Prime Minister asking who decided the policy on the issue of a referendum on Scottish independence, the PMS said the position of the UK Government was set out by the Prime Minister in PMQ’s yesterday. The PMS added that he was a spokesman for the British Prime Minister and the Prime Minister had set out his position yesterday.

Asked to reiterate the Prime Minister’s position, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister had said that the Calman Commission had been set up to review the progress of devolution and we would review the progress of the Calman Commission before making further decisions.

Put that if Alex Salmond took Wendy Alexander’s advice and held a referendum on independence, it would take place before the Calman Commission reported, the PMS said that for there to be a legally binding referendum, it would require legislation in the UK Parliament. Asked how the Prime Minister could reconcile his interpretation of Wendy Alexander’s remarks with what she had said today, the PMS reiterated what the Prime Minister had said yesterday in response to the leader of the opposition’s question; Wendy Alexander had said in her Newsnight interview that the procedures of the Scottish Parliament meant that it would take at least a year for the issue to be considered.

The PMS added that he was here to interpret what the Prime Minister had said, but he was not here to interpret what Wendy Alexander had said; that was a matter for a Labour Party spokesman. Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with Wendy Alexander when she said there should be a referendum sooner rather than later, the PMS said that the Prime Minister had set out his position yesterday in the House of Commons, which was that the Calman Commision was looking at how we could strengthen devolution and we would review progress in light of that. Asked if that was the extent of the Prime Minister’s position, the PMS said that that was the Prime Minister’s position as set out very clearly yesterday.

Asked if the PMS was suggesting that the Prime Minister would seek to block an early referendum after saying that any binding referendum would need legislation in the UK Parliament, the PMS replied that he was not suggesting anything; he was setting out a factual position.

Asked if the Prime Minister was leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, the PMS said that technical questions about Labour Party constitutional matters should be addressed to the Labour Party. Asked if the Prime Minister had confidence in Wendy Alexander, the PMS replied that that wasn’t a question for him.

Asked if it was British Government policy to hold a referendum in Scotland, the PMS replied that it was British Government policy to support the work of the Calman Commission and it would review progress in light of that and as the Prime Minister had said yesterday, make further decisions at that point.

Asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to Wendy Alexander, the PMS said that issues about conversations between the Prime Minister and his Labour Party colleagues was not a question for him.

Asked how the Prime Minister could interpret the phrase "bring it on" as anything than a call for a referendum, the PMS replied that Wendy Alexander had also said in her Newsnight interview and in her statement yesterday afternoon that it would take at least a year for the issue to be considered by the Scottish Parliament.

Put that Wendy Alexander had used the word "now" today as well, the PMS reiterated that she had also said that the procedures of the Scottish Parliament meant that it would take at least a year for the issue to be considered. Put that it was feasible that the process could begin within days, but it wouldn’t end up in the Scottish Parliament for a year, the PMS said that what happened in the Scottish Parliament was a matter for politicians in the Scottish Parliament. What he was doing and what the Prime Minister was doing yesterday was stating the position of the UK Government.

Asked if he expected the prime Minister to make any further statements to clarify his position, the PMS said that the Prime Minister had made himself very clear yesterday. Asked if Mr Cameron could expect a reply to his letter, the PMS replied that he had not seen the letter but would check when he got back to No10. If there was a response, it would be put out by his political colleague as last nights response was.

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» Thursday, May 8, 2008

Scotland

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