Gordon Brown to outline UK and Scotland 'power-share'

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to make an outline of his ideas for a new division of powers between Westminster and Holyrood.

15:18 10 March 2014

In relation to Scottish Independence, former prime minister Gordon Brown will propose reforms in order to achieve power-sharing between Holyrood and Westminster, a cooperation that is expected to enhance devolution.

He and senior Lib Dem MP Sir Menzies Campbell said that Scots want more devolution, not independence. However, the Scottish government said that only a Yes vote in the referendum would give Scotland the powers it needed.

On September 18, Scots will decide if they want their country to be independent.

The MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath is expected to say: "I want to move us from the old highly-centralised, uniform Britain dominated by out-of-date ideas of an undivided Westminster sovereignty to a new diverse power-sharing, risk-sharing, resource-sharing UK which is best defined not as an old union but as a modern, constitutional partnership of nations."

Meanwhile, the BBC stated that Brown is expected to say: "The majority of Scottish people do not want separation but equally they do want change, not the status quo. It is now six months from the referendum and time to enact that change.

"If people are asked to support the Union it is crucial that people know what the purpose is and it is no longer left unstated and unexplained.

"We need to draw up a statement of purpose, that we pool and share resources and risks for the benefit of all.”