Scottish devolution has been tested to destruction

The Scottish Tories are decidedly unenthusiastic about suggestions Westminster devolve further powers to the Scottish Parliament. A proposal to stave off independence by giving Holyrood additional financial powers and control over immigration, contained in a strategy memo leaked earlier this week, has been met with a chilly response from the party. I asked if they would be up for further devolution and got a blunt response from a party spokesman: ‘The Scottish Conservatives would not support more powers to the SNP.’

‘More powers’ has been the Tory mantra for almost a decade now, despite the original devolution settlement being expansive. David Cameron transferred further powers in 2012, then agreed to an independence referendum largely on the SNP’s terms. Despite his best efforts, the No campaign won that vote but, acting on promises hastily and foolishly made in the dying days of the plebiscite, Cameron handed over another slew of powers to Holyrood in 2016.