Scotland Bill

Debate between Pete Wishart and Gordon Banks

Thursday 27th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Pete Wishart]

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for finally clearing that up.

I was talking about a measure that is actually a Tory budget cut to the Scottish Parliament and, unfortunately, the nodding dogs of the Labour party are supporting the Conservative-led Government’s cuts and assault on the Scottish budget. Why have they taken us into this measure, which is to the great detriment of the Scottish budget? The SNP will not accept a Tory cut of this magnitude.

[Gordon Banks]

May I try to bring the hon. Gentleman back to his amendment, or even encourage him to start discussing it? Does he intend to vote against the Bill? After all, his amendment states that he

“considers the Bill as a whole to be unacceptable.”

Is he going to support new powers for Scotland or rule against them?

[Pete Wishart]

Hon. Members seems to want to hear so much about our amendment. It states that the Bill is unacceptable; a cut of this magnitude to the Scottish budget is unacceptable. As I said, the SNP will scrutinise the Bill as it goes through Committee. I am not expecting any scrutiny of the Bill from Labour Members; I just expect them to sit there agreeing, complicit with the Conservative-led Government. We have tabled a reasoned amendment and, thankfully, Mr Speaker has accepted it. However, we will allow the Bill to proceed to Committee and seek to improve it there. Right now, the Bill is a broken Bill that needs to be fixed. There are serious difficulties with it and we will try to improve it. The challenge for the Labour party is this: will it support us in trying to improve the Bill?

--- Later in debate ---

[Graeme Morrice (Livingston) (Lab)]

rose—

[Gordon Banks]

rose—

[Pete Wishart]

I will not give way because I am about to finish my speech.

We have the opportunity to strengthen the Bill, and I want Labour colleagues to work with us to—