An SNP MP has accused the Conservative government of promoting local devolution in Scotland in a bid to mask Whitehall spending cuts and fuel George Osborne's Tory leadership bid.
AlIson Thewlis's comments came as Scottish Secretary David Mundell urged Scottish councils not to fall behind those in England and take on more responsibility for health, education and transport.
In a speech in Glasgow, Scotland’s sole Tory MP warned that there was an “urgent” need for a national debate on the issue.
The one-size-fits-all model for Scottish local government was outdated, he said, and Scottish towns and cities risk being left behind.
Council leaders recently warned the Scottish Government's latest budget plans will be "catastrophic" for jobs and services.
Local government body Cosla estimates that the proposals amount to a £350 million cut.
But Ms Thewlis claimed the call for greater powers for Scottish councils was designed to help cover Tory government cuts.
And she condemned the devolution agenda south of the border as spin designed to help Mr Osborne’s secure his party's leadership.
Ms Thewlis, a member of Westminster’s Communities and Local Government Committee, which has spent months looking into the policy in England. said: "This is just empty rhetoric from the Tories.
“His own Government, which has responsibility for local devolution in England, has been progressing local devolution powers through Westminster which have the potential to put local authorities in a difficult position. In essence, the Tories are handing some powers to Councils without resources.
"That means they’ll have to make the cuts on Whitehall’s behalf.
“Week in, week out I listen to Tory Minister’s rattle off soundbites like 'Northern Powerhouse' but the truth is this all part of George Osborne’s leadership campaign.”
Mr Mundell said the Scottish Government had made choices which would result in "serious cuts to local authority budgets and absolutely no new powers to raise their own funding.
"Councils across Scotland are rightly concerned about the futures they face and it is about time we had an honest and frank debate about it."
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