London: The British government scrambled on Sunday to pledge greater autonomy for Scotland, after a poll put the pro-independence camp ahead just 11 days before the referendum on separation.
Finance minister George Osborne said greater tax and spending powers would be announced in the coming days and would be implemented if Scotland votes on September 18 to remain in the 300-year-old union with England.
The government’s offer came after a YouGov poll published in The Sunday Times gave the “Yes” camp 51 percent support compared to the “No” camp’s 49 percent, excluding undecided voters. Six percent said they had not made up their minds.
Although the two-point lead is within the margin of error, the findings dramatically up the stakes ahead of the vote, giving momentum to Scottish first minister Alex Salmond and his separatist Scottish National Party. “Scotland faces a very big choice,” Mr Osborne was quoted as saying by the BBC.
“You will see in the next few days a plan of action to give more powers to Scotland. More tax powers, more spending powers, more plans for powers over the welfare state,” he said.
Mr Osborne said it was “clear” that Scots wanted greater autonomy and the three main parties — the Conservatives, their Liberal Democrat junior partners in government and the Labour opposition — had agreed to “deliver” on that.
