Exclusive: leak reveals split on Constitutional Commission.
By Paul Hutcheon,
Scottish Political Editor
GORDON Brown has delivered another blow to Wendy Alexander's Labour leadership by downgrading and seizing control of her plan to boost Holyrood's powers.
The prime minister has made it clear Alexander's proposal for a Constitutional Commission should be reduced to either a review''or a working party''.
He has also stated that Whitehall, rather than the Scottish parliament, should take the lead in setting up any review of devolution.
His views were made clear at a Downing Street summit last month on Alexander's constitutional reform plans, which took place without her being present.
Alexander's Labour leadership is in serious trouble after she broke the law by accepting an illegal £950 donation from Jersey-based businessman Paul Green.
The Paisley North MSP, who has endured two months of torment after the Sunday Herald broke the donations story, has tried to recapture the domestic agenda by backing a Constitutional Commission to increase Holyrood's powers.
The idea has the backing of Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish parliament, but is being resisted by Scottish Labour MPs at Westminster who believe Alexander is "doing the work" of the SNP.
Now the Sunday Herald can reveal the prime minister's scepticism about a plan that Alexander has staked her political future on.
A meeting on January 28 - attended by Brown, chancellor Alistair Darling, justice secretary Jack Straw, Scottish secretary Des Browne, and civil servant Jim Gallagher - was held to discuss the union and Scottish devolution.
The summit, of which the Sunday Herald has been given a full account by a UK government source, focused on Alexander's commission plan.
The prime minister said he found the body's remit to be acceptable, but that he wanted the UK government, not Holyrood, to take the lead in setting it up. He also said he did not believe the word commission was appropriate; instead he favoured "working party" or "review". The Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP then said the government, rather than the Scottish parliament, should consult on membership of the review.
He said the body could include nine people, with Labour, the Tories and LibDems each nominating two representatives, one from a Scottish perspective and the other from a UK background. The final three places, the prime minister said, should go to people of independent standing. He also stated that the working party could issue an interim report within six months.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Scottish parliament has been keen to engage the UK government in the review process. As the Scottish Office and Ministry of Justice announced on January 31, the government welcomes the review and is considering how best to take forward discussions on the review. The secretary of state for Scotland has had productive meetings with the Scottish political parties, and will bring forward proposals after consultation with other political parties."
