Morgan backs call for Scotland to control elections

Morgan backs call for Scotland to control elections

SNP MSP and Alasdair Morgan today (Wednesday) backed calls for Westminster to devolve responsibility for Scottish Parliament elections to Holyrood after a Parliamentary committee endorsed the move.

The Scottish Parliament Local Government Committee’s report also endorses the de-coupling of local and Scottish elections.

The report states that the Committee “endorses the resolution of the Scottish Parliament in relation to the Gould report.”

The Parliament’s resolution called for “the further devolution of executive and legislative powers to the Scottish Government and the Parliament for the administration of its own elections and the decoupling of future elections to this Parliament and Scotland's councils”

Mr Morgan said;

“The Committee’s report firmly endorses the view of the Parliament that responsibility for Scottish Parliament elections should be transferred to Holyrood.

“It is only the Secretary of State and Scottish Westminster MPs, in an attempt to cling on to control of Scotland, who feel otherwise.

“The current system is outdated and inappropriate. Westminster MPs would not accept another Parliament running their elections, it is simply nonsensical. The fiasco of last May’s elections certainly suggests to me that Westminster is not competent in this respect either.

“The Committee’s report, along with the Gould report, demonstrates a clear way forward for the running of elections in Scotland.

“Thankfully in Dumfries & Galloway we had an excellent returning officer and a very well-run count. Clearly however, we need to be in a position in this country where every count at every election goes as smoothly. I believe that the only way to make sure of this is to have direct accountability â€' for the Scottish Parliament to be in charge of Scottish elections.

“With decoupling already agreed the Scottish Government is taking steps to ensure we do not see a repeat of last year's fiasco. It is now time for the UK Government to step up and take its share of responsibility by devolving executive and legislative powers over elections to Scotland.”