Consideration of further powers for Holyrood in the event of a No vote in the referendum will not be displaced as a priority because of the general election, the unionist parties have insisted.

Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians said proposals for the Scottish Parliament would be contained in their parties' 2015 election manifestos, while cross-party talks on more devolution could be called within 30 days of the referendum.

SNP MSP and External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf questioned this proposition, and stated that his party would have to "seriously consider" the remit of any talks before giving its commitment to attend.

The politicians were debating what will happen if independence is rejected at an event held in Glasgow by The Future of the UK and Scotland, a programme funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Mr Yousaf was joined on the panel by former Scottish secretary and Lib Dem MP Michael Moore, Tory MSP Annabel Goldie, Labour MSP Drew Smith, Scottish Green Party co-convenor Maggie Chapman and Professor Richard Finlay.

Mr Moore was asked about Sir Menzies Campbell's recommendation for the Scottish Secretary to invite other parties to participate in talks within 30 days of the referendum.

He said: "It is a serious proposition and I believe that my successor Alistair Carmichael will issue the invitation if we are in a position where there is a no vote.

"I think it is inconceivable that Scotland will stand still. The debate will remain live.

"Colleagues from south of the border will recognise that this is not an end point. We will need to get on with it."

Ms Goldie said: "If an invitation is issued it would certainly contain the Tory Party."

She also called for a "sensible" platform to be established at Westminster where constitutional issues affecting all parts of the UK can be debated.

On the talks, Mr Smith said: "We will not set our face against any talks like that. We are not prepared to say there will be a deal between the three unionist parties come what may."

The politicians were questioned on whether the looming general election would result in more powers for Holyrood slipping down the political agenda.

Mr Yousaf asked: "Can you realistically imagine that you're going to have Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats come to a common position on what further powers will come to Scotland in the event of a No vote?"

He said his party would work collaboratively and would continue to push for more powers, but, on the prospect of cross-party talks he added: "We will have to seriously consider what the remit of that is."

Prof Finlay said: "If you cast your mind back to 1979 (Scottish devolution referendum) there was a momentum then and it stopped - progress is not inevitable.

"The decisions are not actually within the gift of the Scottish politicians, they belong to the Westminster politicians."

Mr Smith responded: "Not one of the political parties will be approaching the 2015 general election without specific proposals for the Scottish Parliament."

Ms Goldie agreed that party manifestos for 2015 would provide "clear choices" for voters in Scotland

Mr Moore said: "It is simply not credible to argue that nothing more will happen. We can't put this particular genie back in the bottle."