Clegg announces plans to move Holyrood poll

Nick Clegg’s plans to change the timetable of Holyrood’s 2015 election have been met with claims the Deputy Prime Minister was showing “gross disrespect."

The Westminster and Holyrood elections are due to be held on the same date of 7 May 2015. Mr. Clegg said this is a “serious issue” and that the primacy of Westminster will take precedence over Holyrood.

Mr. Clegg voiced concern for the electorate: "Whilst I think it easy enough for people to take a decision on a yes/no referendum question at the time of the Holyrood elections next May, I think it's quite a different matter to ask people to vote for two different Parliaments and create two different governments."

"There is an issue when you are asking people to vote for two parliaments that create two governments - there is an issue of complexity there, and we want to try to resolve it."

Mr.Clegg’s plans to move Holyrood’s 2015 poll were countered by Scottish Ministers with the accusation that such a decision belies the coalition government’s “respect agenda” with Scotland.

Ann McKechin of Labour, shadow Scotland Office minister said: “This is grossly disrespectful of the Lib Dems, and it is a disgrace they are pushing it through without any consultation with other parties or the Scottish Parliament. The so-called 'respect agenda' is dead in the water.

"Given the increasing voices of Lib Dem criticism of the coalition, it is arrogant in the extreme to claim that there won't be a general election until 2015."

A spokesman for SNP First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Now that the UK government has shifted on 2015, they should also shift from holding the voting system referendum on the same day as the Scottish Parliament election next May, which three-quarters of MSPs oppose.

"At Holyrood, we are happy with and proud of our four-year fixed-term system, and it must be for Westminster to shift, perhaps by also moving to fixed four-year terms."

As Mr. Clegg ignored calls to change the date of the proposed referendum on the AV voting system, which clashes with the Scottish Parliament elections, he drew attention to the existing powers which could allow for a change in the date of the Holyrood elections in 2015.