Salmond blames over-55s for halting Scottish independence

Scots over the age of 55 have "impeded" younger Scots' demands for independence, first minister Alex Salmond has said, following Thursday's referendum.

Meanwhile, the Scottish National Party leader, who on Friday announced he will step down from the position, has sought to exploit divisions between the Conservatives and Labour over greater powers for England, saying it was clear they had already reneged on pledges.

However, Mr Salmond’s decision to focus so particularly on the stand taken by older voters could provoke division in the months ahead, given the strength of feeling.

“When you have a situation where the majority of a country up to the age of 55 is already voting for independence, then I think the writing’s on the wall for Westminster,” he said.

Older Scots “should really be looking at themselves in the mirror and wondering”, said Mr Salmond, if they had “actually impeded progress for the next generation”.

Delivery of promises

Former Labour chancellor of the exchequer

Alistair Darling

said pledges of extra powers for the

Scottish Parliament

could not, and would not, be reneged upon. “The agreement reached by the three parties, as far as I’m concerned, is non-negotiable. It was promised, it’s got to be delivered, and anyone who welches on that will pay a very heavy price for years to come,” he said.

Under the plan led by former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, legislation laying out extra home rule powers for Scotland would be put before the Commons in January.

It was never proposed that they would be enacted into law by the Commons and the House of Lords before the May general election, even if that assumption was made in Scotland.

However, prime minister David Cameron’s decision to insist that Scottish devolution must progress in tandem with England could cause years of delay, since there has been little debate on what England requires.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has bridled in the face of Mr Cameron’s determination to tie Scottish devolution to “a fair deal for England”, saying that was not mentioned in pre-referendum talks.

Reduced rights for Scotland’s 59 existing MPs in the Commons could threaten Labour’s chances of occupying No 10, with the party currently filling 41 of those seats.

Precarious Labour

Usually, however, Labour has won a majority of the seats in England whenever it has been in office, needing numbers in Scotland only in the years between 1944 and 1966 and for a vote on tuition fees during Tony Blair’s years.

Nevertheless, Mr Miliband insists Mr Cameron is trying to trap him, saying extra powers for Scotland could be agreed in months, but changes in England could not "be written on a fag packet". Mr Miliband must try to avoid being blamed for any delay in extra powers to Edinburgh, since Scottish MPs are now vulnerable in the Westminster elections next year.

SNP MPs have long avoided voting in the Commons on English-only issues as a matter of principle, so they will seek to exploit any dallying by Labour.

Equally, however, Mr Cameron must progress carefully, too, given he made a pledge to Scots, or else face damaging charges he told lies in a bid to stop Scots quitting the union.

Few preparations have put in place for changes in England, which were discussed yesterday by Mr Cameron when he invited 20 Conservative MPs to meet him at Chequers. A report by a former clerk of the House of Commons suggested the inclusion of an extra parliamentary debate stage for English-only legislation – though final votes would be a matter for all MPs.