At the launch of ‘Federalism: the best future for Scotland’, the report of the Scottish Liberal Democrat’s Home Rule and Community Rule Commission, Willie Rennie has said it is time for the Scottish Parliament to take its place as a fully-fledged partner within the United Kingdom.

The Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats was speaking after launching the report of the Commission which has met for the last twelve months under the chairmanship of Sir Menzies Campbell MP.

The Commission has recommended that home rule powers for the Scottish Parliament and said that these powers would work best within a federal UK.

Commenting after the launch, Mr Rennie said:

“Our ambition is to improve the social, environmental and economic well-being of Scotland.

“That ambition can be best achieved when we have a parliament with the powers and responsibilities that enable it to be sensitive and flexible to local needs while able to share risks and rewards with the rest of the UK.

“Home Rule within a federal UK embeds that local power and the means to share with our partners.

“Since 1999 when devolution was in its infancy the Scottish Parliament has matured and grown in strength and authority. The time has come for it to move to a fully-fledged partner as a Home Rule Parliament within a federal United Kingdom.

“With home rule and federalism the Scottish Parliament would have permanent powers, not powers on loan. This would give us the mature constitutional authority required to work in partnership with the rest of the UK’s parliaments and assembles.

“The Home Rule Commission report allocates financial power to the Scottish Parliament and local councils, both raising a majority of what they spend. This would give us fiscal authority to make decisions about how much we raise and spend as well as deciding what we spend it on. Yet it would also enable us to share risk in times of crisis and reward in times of plenty.

“We want to trigger reform across the United Kingdom to deliver a truly federal relationship within the United Kingdom.

“We will use these plans to lead the debate, to build a consensus and secure a mandate for reform at the next general election. We urge people who like our plans to come on side and make the case for this change.”