Election '97: 'Ermine Army' mobilised in home-rule war of words

The West Lothian question dogging Labour's Scottish parliament was yesterday replaced by the "Marquess of Lothian Question" as the party's home-rule plans came under attack from both Tories and Nationalists.

George Robertson, shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, posed the question in a warning to Tories not to use their in-built majority in the Lords to thwart devolution.

Legislation promised by a party in its manifesto is not by convention opposed by the Lords. But in an interview in yesterday's Scotsman, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, the Lord Chancellor, suggested the fundamental nature of Labour's plans, beginning with a Bill for a referendum this autumn, meant peers might not be bound by the normal rules.

He indicated that if the such an important constitutional measure was considered by an upstairs committee, as Labour intends, rather than one of the whole House, then peers would justified in examining it "line by line".

Such detailed scrutiny could well delay a referendum beyond the autumn.

Mr Robertson said that having lost the democratic argument, the Tory party was preparing to use its "Ermine Army" to subvert the democratic process.

Labour, however, would retaliate with "the power of the people" - a reminder of the pledge to abolish the voting rights of hereditary peers, including the Conservative Marquess of Lothian.

Mr Robertson provoked new "parish council" charges from the SNP by emphasising that the Edinburgh parliament would not be able to extend its powers or turn itself into an independent state.

Michael Russell, chief executive, said new Labour was behaving "with an arrogance last seen in east European dictatorships". Though equivocal about supporting a parliament, the SNP has seen the potential of a poll showing at least a third of its members could be Nationalists.