11 May 2017
Labour’s leaked election manifesto has exposed more confusion in the party’s position on a second independence referendum.
The document commits a Labour government to establishing “a constitutional convention to examine and advise on reform of the at Britain works at a fundamental level”.
It follows Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale’s call for Britain to become a federal country, with looser ties between Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Ms Dugdale said in February a federal UK should be an option on the ballot paper in the event of a second independence referendum.
The following month, Jeremy Corbyn said he was “absolutely fine” with a second referendum being held.
Scottish Conservative candidate in Edinburgh South West Miles Briggs said:
“Labour’s leaked manifesto claims the party is opposed to a second referendum – yet we know Jeremy Corbyn has said he is “absolutely fine” with a referendum.
“Just as Labour can’t seem to publish a manifesto properly, nor can we trust a word they say on the Union.
“The SNP’s obsession with independence is costing Scotland dear, as this week’s shameful statistics on the state of our education system shows.
“Years and years of Labour navel gazing over the constitution would be just as damaging and who knows where it would end?”
Announcing her support for federalism last December, Kezia Dugdale said details should be thrashed out in a constitutional convention that “would follow the model” of the Scottish Constitutional Convention – raising the prospect of years of constitutional wrangling.
The body dominated political debate in Scotland for six years, from 1989 to 1995, before the creation of the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Labour’s plan for federalism is vague but potentially could leave only defence, foreign affairs and the currency as UK-wide issues – similar to the SNP’s discredited proposal for ‘full fiscal autonomy’.
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