Glasgow - The British Chancellor, Mr Gordon Brown, sent a note of warning to the House of Lords last night that it must not stand in the way of the government's plans for Scottish devolution, Rachel Donnelly reports. His message to peers was spelt out at a rally in Glasgow to outline his vision of an "economic powerhouse" in Scotland.
Tory peers with a majority in the House of Lords should not vote against important Labour manifesto commitments.
Referring to the referendum in Scotland on September 11th, he said: "The referendum will provide a clear expression of the will of the people of Scotland. The House of Lords, elected by no one, should think again before voting down or delaying devolution plans."
At the same time the government's referendum machine moved into Scotland with the Scottish Secretary, Mr Donald Dewar, taking his message to Orkney. He told potential voters that "the people of Scotland hold their future in their hands. We kept our side of the bargain. The proposals are on the table."