WHAT lies behind Labour's pledges to hold referendums on Scottish and Welsh devolution - when up to now it has been committed to giving these countries their own parliaments in any case?

It may be regarded by some as more democratic to let the Scots and Welsh endorse the notion in a separate ballot.

But this move could also be looked at from another viewpoint.

For the promise of a referendum is, of course, far different from a manifesto pledge on devolution.

It says to Scottish and Welsh voters that they can, if they wish, have their own parliaments if they vote Labour.

That is not the same as telling them they will get these assemblies if they vote Labour.

So why this shift?

And why one sprung by the Labour leadership to the surprise of its backbenchers and to the confusion and anger of Scottish Left-wingers who see it as either a watering down of the previous commitment or at least a delaying tactic?

Perhaps the answer lies in John Major picking up the constitutional ball and Tony Blair fearing he may be scoring points with it - on the more crucial battleground of Middle England.

For consider that, of late, the badly trailing Tories have been bouncing back somewhat in the opinion polls as the factors which should earlier have found them favour with the voters - rock-bottom mortgage rates, low inflation, recovery in the housing market and so on - have begun to sink in.

Thus, on the strength of this trend, Mr Major goes looking for "clear blue water" issues to strengthen the distinction - blurred by Mr Blair's many rightward policy lurches - between the Conservatives and Labour.

So, after targeting Labour's anathema to greater selection in schools, the Prime Minister picks its devolution policy and speaks of the dangers of the United Kingdom coming apart because of it.

He is seeking to brand Labour as "un-British."

Evidently, seeing that Scotland and Wales are already deserts as far as Tory seats are concerned, Mr Major prefers to fight the constitution battle in England.

Perhaps he has panicked Tony Blair with the thought that, while devolution pledges might win votes for Labour beyond England's borders, it might lose them for the party inside them - and because of our ridiculous electoral system the votes in the south east of England are more vital to winning the general election battle than those of the Scots and Welsh.

Hence the change of step - a piece of political footwork that has more to do with the quest for power at Westminster than devolving power from it to the people of Scotland and Wales.

Mr Major is calling the tune for a back-tracking Mr Blair.

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