ALISTAIR Carmichael has challenged Nicola Sturgeon to show "genuine leadership", accept the will of the Scottish people to remain part of the UK and reject calls for a second referendum or risk dividing the nation.
But in response, the office of the incoming SNP leader dismissed the Scottish Secretary's exhortation as "desperate stuff" and called on the UK parties to "stop squabbling" over more powers for Holyrood.
Mr Carmichael, who this week was at the Commons despatch box for two devolution debates, as well as Scottish Questions, insisted the UK Government had "hit the ground running" delivering on the three-party promise to devolve more powers to the Scottish Parliament, noting the Government was already ahead of the timetable set out last month.
"I would call on Nicola Sturgeon to show genuine leadership and accept the result," said Mr Carmichael. "There have already been cries of reneging on the more powers vow even though the Smith Commission has not even proposed anything yet. The betrayal bandwagon is already getting dusted down; this is simply not good enough. The Scottish people have made their democratic decision and it must be respected."
The Scottish Secretary said the UK Government had respected the Nationalists' parliamentary victory in 2011 and delivered a fair, legal and decisive referendum. He said it had also signed the Edinburgh Agreement in good faith and it was "that good faith which we need to see from the new First Minister".
Saying the "overwhelming majority" of Scots had voted to stay in the UK, Mr Carmichael added: "The referendum gave us a decisive result. This was the most democratic decision we have ever made in Scotland.
"We are now working to build a stronger Scottish Parliament. Calling for a second referendum and reflecting on what could have been is entirely inappropriate. The Scottish Government wanted to divide the United Kingdom but, if they carry on as they have for the past month, then they risk dividing Scotland."
But Ms Sturgeon's spokesman hit back, saying: "One month on from the referendum this is desperate stuff from the Secretary of State when it is the UK parties and the Westminster Parliament who are busy squabbling over more powers for Scotland and falling out with each other over English votes for English laws."
The spokesman insisted the SNP was playing a full part in the Smith Commission and looked forward to beginning negotiations next week, saying: "As Lord Smith pointed out only yesterday: 'The SNP have absolutely committed to be part of this process and to take it very seriously and in a spirit of compromise'."
He added: "It is time for the Westminster parties to show the same spirit of co-operation and compromise, to stop squabbling with each other and to join us in working for Scotland's best interests instead of their own."
Meanwhile, after Mr Carmichael upbraided the SNP's Pete Wishart during a Commons debate for seeking to undermine confidence in the three leaders' vow at every turn, the Perth MP insisted the UK Parliament was falling short on delivering more powers for Scotland.
Mr Wishart said the UK Government's Command Paper, published this week and setting out its broad approach and the parties' individual proposals, made no mention of "extensive new powers" contained in the vow and that a Commons debate on devolution was "hijacked" to debate English votes for English laws.
He added that the SNP was working constructively with the Smith Commission and wanted the outcome to "meet the high expectations of the people of Scotland".
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