Alex Salmond has revealed he plans to stage his independence referendum in the autumn of 2014 after he resisted UK government demands to set an early date for the historic poll.
The first minister's disclosure – which came as the subject was being debated in the Commons – followed David Cameron's warning that Salmond must get the UK government's approval if he wanted to hold a lawful referendum or face years of legal conflict in the courts.
Salmond indicated, in a notably conciliatory tone, that he could accept Cameron's offer of a deal to legally authorise the referendum on Scottish independence, but only if that offer was unconditional.
Speaking on Sky News, the first minister said autumn 2014 "was the date that allows everything to be put in a proper manner on the most important decision in Scotland for 300 years. That date will allow the Scottish people to hear all the arguments.
"This has to be a referendum which is built in Scotland, which is made in Scotland and goes through the Scottish parliament. If the Westminster government sticks to that, we won't have too many fights about it."
Salmond's chief spokesman said they were "totally confident" that the Scottish parliament already had the powers to stage an advisory or consultative referendum, but said it would accept Cameron's offer of explicit legal powers to hold the poll only if there "no strings attached".
"The terms of the referendum will not be dictated by the UK government: those days are over," the spokesman added.
In a further development, it emerged that Salmond's hopes of staging a multiple option independence referendum are likely to be significantly boosted by a new non-party initiative to campaign for greater powers for the Scottish parliament.
The Guardian can reveal that a group of civic leaders, including senior figures in the Scottish voluntary sector, trade union movement, churches and business, are in the final stages of launching a new movement to campaign for a so-called "devolution plus" or "devo max" option for Holyrood.
Their initiative, due to be formally unveiled later this month, could greatly increase the chances of Salmond's referendum including a second question on extending Holyrood's powers short of full independence if he presses on with the poll. He plans to publish a final bill setting up the referendum in January 2013.
But in a significant blow to those ambitions, Salmond was warned by the UK government he faces huge legal obstacles if he tries to stage any independence referendum without the agreement of the UK government.
Signalling they would only support a single-question poll, David Cameron, the prime minister, and Nick Clegg, his deputy, said in a statement on Holyrood's legal powers that they had "grave concerns that the Scottish government's proposals for a referendum would not be lawful".
Their intervention intensified the row over Scotland's constitutional future as two of the most senior figures expected to join the campaign for "devolution plus" publicly rejected Cameron's demand that the referendum should include only one "yes" or "no" question on independence.
Martin Sime, chief executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the umbrella organisation for 1,300 charities, said Labour, Lib Dem and Tory leaders were wrong to demand a single question poll: a majority of Scots favoured giving Holyrood greater autonomy within the UK.
"All this soundbite stuff about 'yes' or 'no' is being done for marginal short-term political gain, including the demand we should sort it out now," Sime said.
"Why should we sort it out now? We should do this properly. What matters is that we have a proper debate about the future governance of Scotland, and if politicians can't do that, then civil society will."
Grahame Smith, the general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, which has historically had very close links to the Labour party, said he wanted the body set up to run a referendum to consider "whether a credible third option has emerged and, whether, and in what way that additional option might be put to the Scottish people".
Michael Moore, the Scottish secretary, confirmed that the UK government's legal advice was that the Scottish parliament currently had no legal authority to stage the referendum in any form, despite Salmond's insistence that it would be simply indicative.
He said the UK government's law officers, including the Attorney General Dominic Grieve, had ruled that under the Scotland Act 1998, Holyrood was explicitly barred from passing any measure which affected the UK's constitution. If Salmond tried to stage a referendum the UK government or private citizens could get it struck down as unlawful by the UK supreme court.
And, in a deliberate move to prevent Salmond staging a multi-option referendum, Moore said the UK government would temporarily give Holyrood the legal authority to stage that referendum but only if it was a single "yes" or "no" question about independence, and only if the referendum was run by the UK Electoral Commission.
Buried in the UK government's consultation paper was the disclosure that it was also legally able to stage the referendum itself, if Salmond refused the offer from London. This measure would cause uproar amongst Scottish nationalists and the centre-left in Scotland.
Moore veered away from this politically-explosive option in his Commons statement. He insisted he wanted to enable a "legal, fair and decisive" referendum to take place.
"As a Scot, I think it's vital that the Scottish people make a clear decision about our future in the UK; it should be a decision made in Scotland by the people of Scotland," he said. "But at present there is a lack of clarity about the referendum, its outcome and what the implications of that outcome would be."
The UK government's offer was broadly welcomed by the Scottish Labour party, putting further pressure on Salmond to accept demands for a single question referendum.
Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, attempted to further isolate the first minister by calling on him to set up cross-party talks with his opponents and civic leaders to agree a mutually-satisfactory referendum date.
She accused Salmond of revealing the 2014 date in a panic. "The first minister should hold cross party talks – including all quarters of civic Scotland – to discuss these details including the date," she said.
"It is also rather sad that a first minister of Scotland, keeps his plans for the constitutional future of our nation secret, doesn't tell the Scottish parliament, but goes on the TV because a debate at Westminster might keep him out the headlines.
"We deserve better. This is about the future of Scotland, not the profile of Alex Salmond. This issue deserves calm consideration – not a panicked response from a panicked first minister."
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10 January 2012 7:31PM
FREEDOM!
10 January 2012 7:32PM
Please, not that long........just get it over and done with so we can get back to normal.
10 January 2012 7:33PM
Stay Scotland, we love you really :(
10 January 2012 7:33PM
In other news, David Cameron shits bricks.
10 January 2012 7:33PM
Go Scotland! Let Cameron go down in history as the Tory that broke the Union.
10 January 2012 7:34PM
Give us a vote on independence from the spivs and banker crooks of Westminster.
10 January 2012 7:34PM
Great news! Salmond is a political genius.My bet is November 27th.
10 January 2012 7:34PM
This is perfect. Cameron is exactly the kind of guy that will drive Scotland out of the Union. He must know he can't open his mouth on this issue.
10 January 2012 7:35PM
I have to say that Alex is a canny politician - pity we do not have someone of his stature on this side of the border.
It was silly of the Coalition to think they can dictate the terms of the referendum if the Scots want devoluation max so be it - if they want full independent so be it.....
10 January 2012 7:36PM
No! This is far too important to be used as a political tool. This would be a massive event, no one should encourage the break up of the Union for petty reasons.
10 January 2012 7:37PM
30+ years of neo-liberal economic idiocy and politics centred on the 'city' has brought this about. Who can blame the Scots if they want to disconnect themselves - some of us might want to join them.
10 January 2012 7:39PM
Lets do this and see how Scotland do. I am tired of England and Wales subsidising their University education. Alternatively we could give Scotland their independence and then re-invade, now that would be entertaining.....
10 January 2012 7:39PM
I'm emigrating north of the border.
10 January 2012 7:39PM
Salmond daily dances a delightful political pirouette around Cameron.
10 January 2012 7:40PM
Freedom for whom? I take it you mean the rest of the UK.
We shall all be diminished by this piece of romantic nineteenth-century nationalist nonsense. We Scots are having our strings pulled and don't even seem to know it.
We spent 800 years killing one another until we joined the UK. Then we had stability, the Scottish Enlightenment, and peace.
Do you get that - the UK has actually been brilliant for us; don't let Alex fish-face Salmond twist you into believing otherwise!
10 January 2012 7:40PM
Also the BBC could stop caring about Scottish football...
10 January 2012 7:41PM
The unionist Electoral Commission must not be allowed to muddy the waters and skew the result.Representatives from the UN must be brought in to make sure the referendum result is truthful.
10 January 2012 7:42PM
I dont care if Scotland becomes a new country or not but if Cameron really cared about the union he wouldnt be talking about 'independence', he'd be talking about 'dissolution', 'secession' or 'partition'.
10 January 2012 7:42PM
What's petty about separating Scotland from the Home Counties wankers who would bleed the country dry? And I say that as an Englishman with no Scottish blood in me whatsoever.
10 January 2012 7:43PM
Of course Fred and the Royal Bank of Scotland were pillars of probity by comparison . . . oh.
10 January 2012 7:44PM
Hardly. In just two days he's been outflanked by Cameron and forced to react to events it what appears to be panic rather than driving forward his own agenda on his own terms and at his own pace.
There's a long way to go, but right now Salmond has been made to appear amateurish by the likes of Cameron, Alexander and Moore. No mean feat.
10 January 2012 7:45PM
Do you - and people who continue to spout this pile of tripe - actually know anything about how devolution works? England and Wales subsidise bugger all.
Scottish tax and oil revenue goes to Westminster. In return, Holyrood gets part of it back as a lump sum to be spend as the Scottish Government sees fit. If it so wished, the SG could spend the lot on a massive sculpture of Alex Salmond's head and a monorail to the moon. Instead, they have chosen to prioritise the subsidisation of Universities and healthcare. Stop being bloody jealous and vote for a party in England that will give you the same things.
10 January 2012 7:45PM
There would be holy hell if Westminster tried this on. Its clear that Westminster is desperate but even the most hardline Unionist would baulk at the thought of that.
Crazy mad Unionists are clearly losing the plot.
10 January 2012 7:45PM
It shouldn't be 'Has it been good to us in the past?'
The question is 'Is it good for us now?'
You answered the first one, this referendum will answer the second.
I hope you guys escape Tory England.
And I'm warning you now, if you do make independence I am moving up there, I'm sorry but if you're getting independence you're going to have to suffer me living in Scotland.
10 January 2012 7:46PM
almost cheque mate to Alex Salmond now , not through honest debate but through tories brought up to think that they still have an empire.
Honestly George, you did history, check out the independance issues in the past and learn. i m really surprised at you.
10 January 2012 7:46PM
You're welcome :-D
10 January 2012 7:46PM
Yes, that would be a fitting memorial to the overweening arrogance of the Chipping Norton Crony Capitalists - a great victory for the principles of national self-determination, regional autonomy and subsidiarity. Let us have no more government by the City of London and its Westminster proxies. Let us have e a free Scotland and autonomous Northern English regions, governing finally in their own interests and liberated from the London yoke.
SAOR ALBA
10 January 2012 7:46PM
By the way, I heard on a Radio 4 program the other day, that there is no International law anywhere on this planet that sanctions one part of a country gaining independence from the rest of it.
If Scotland goes so can Catalonia and the Basque country and Yorkshire and Cornwall and Quebec and Wales and Corsica and, and, and...all in the name of what? Pettiness!
10 January 2012 7:46PM
Lets all laugh at Michael Moore. He will be on the dole next election.
None of these juiced up Unionist muppets can lay a glove on Alec Sammond and their posturing is hilarious.
Got them on the run Eck, keep up the good work.
10 January 2012 7:46PM
You'll be most welcome.As long as you buy the first pint.
10 January 2012 7:46PM
Go for it. The first of several.
10 January 2012 7:47PM
I do not understand why there are so many English people with strong feelings about this. If the Scottish people want independence, why not? What reason do you have for wanting them in your country anyway?
Same goes for all the Spaniards that will fight to the death to keep the Basques and Catalonia from having independence. Really what's wrong with these people?
I'm Dutch myself but really if Friesland or Limburg ever want to secede they have my blessing.
10 January 2012 7:47PM
I don't think the BBC cares about Scottish football at the moment....
10 January 2012 7:47PM
"It was silly of the Coalition to think they can dictate the terms of the referendum if the Scots want devoluation max so be it - if they want full independent so be it....."
No, the UK is not an a la carte menu that Scotland can order what it wants from and leave the rest. Why should the rest of the UK want to offer them the choice? It's in or out. No in-between. Salmond is afraid that if an honest, straight, in/out referendum is held now, he will lose it.
If you're out, don't expect high speed rail links to the south, a place at the top table of world politics, a leading place in the Olympic medals table, involvement in world class cultural institutions like the BBC, access to careers in the wider UK, access to diplomatic services worldwide, any influence at all on monetary policy adopted by your currency, staying in the same time zone as the rest of the UK, good relations with a much larger southern neighbour.....
Salmond is very good at talking about what Scots will gain in tearing up the Union and stamping on it, but strangely silent about how many things they will lose.
10 January 2012 7:48PM
Genuine questions.
I am a born'n'bred Scot but live outside Scotland at the moment, do I get to vote? I have English friends who live in Scotland at the moment, do they get to vote?
10 January 2012 7:49PM
Right so... the Electoral commission will commit fraud to keep Scotland in the United KIngdom.. pretty paranoid thinking. But in all honesty if Scotland wants to become a mere footnote in World events then so be it..
10 January 2012 7:49PM
Its plain to see that its Salmond who is setting and has been for some time , the political agenda . By contrast Cameron has been forced to withdraw his threatning remarks about imposing his will on the Scottish people .
Your post if anything appears amateurish.
10 January 2012 7:50PM
As a Scotsman I utterly reject the SNP plans to break our country up. Stop Salmond now and lets be positive about the strength we all garner from a UNITED KINGDOM
10 January 2012 7:51PM
For the one thousand and one time. anyone who is currently resident in Scotland at the time of the referendom qualifies for a vote
10 January 2012 7:51PM
You drive a hard bargain.
But deal, first rounds on me.
10 January 2012 7:52PM
well ,like most unionists, we await a concrete argument for keeping the arrangement as it is, and we are still waiting to hear apart from the wails of doom and gloom.
10 January 2012 7:53PM
1314 ! Right up yer kilt ! As long as there is but one of us alive............
10 January 2012 7:53PM
While devolution is a work in progress and will inevitably lead to greater powers for the devolved parliaments over time. Any vote must be about whether they wish to remain in or leave the UK. Scotland can't expect to use devolution as a pick and mix for its own benefit, and to try to keep the bits of the UK which suits it or it finds profitable and dump the rest.
If they do really want that option then the rest of the UK should vote whether they want Scotland to remain in the union on those terms.
10 January 2012 7:53PM
Now you mention it, we probably killed fewer people in the 800 pre-union years than Tony knocked off in a year or so in Iraq. And with the union we're piled high in Scotland with WMDs.
10 January 2012 7:53PM
There's no way that will happen anyway.
We're still waiting for the high speed rail link to the Channel Tunnel.............
10 January 2012 7:53PM
All the best Scotland - seems entirely reasonable that the government of Scotland should decide when the referendum is held.
And a handy consequence - leave the union and save the rest of the country from ever being governed by Labour again!
10 January 2012 7:54PM
Salmond the tactical chessmaster is playing the long game. The next two years are going to drag down Westminster. We are going to see Westminster MP's having their mere existence questioned to the point of utter humiliation. Cause its their sheer incompetence that has highlighted the need for Scottish self determination.
The more the Westmnster MP's moan and rant about the voting date and time, the more it will drag them into Salmond's political killing fields.
Things for the concerned English to keep in mind;
BBC Scotland has been in permanent propaganda mode against the SNP for the last 5 years. And has been humiliated to the point that they lost their senior programming editor Atholl Duncan, and BBC Scotland's Controller Ken Macquarrie hides away in a dark hole now, refusing to face nationalists and a concerned scottish public over serious allegations of malpractice in its news coverage of the last SNP election campaign. (and yes that means you too Prof John Curtice)
The Scottish newspaper industry is stuck in the 1970's and STILL hasnt come to terms with a Scottish population (1 in 4) who see the SNP presence has wholly positive, and are alienating its dwindling reader base (The Scotsman, The Herald, Daily Record, all failures)
Now keeping all that in mind the SNP and Alex Salmond still hold a majority so, even if the Englsih press goes to war with the SNP and the Scottish voter it will have ZERO effect on voting intentions. the Scottish voters has become immune to propaganda over the last years.
10 January 2012 7:54PM
I don’t think it’s that paranoid. You clearly weren’t up in Scotland in 1979 when the then British Government of the Labour Party pulled ever trick in the book to deny us devolution.
Some of us have long memories and there’s no way we will ever trust the British establishment again.
10 January 2012 7:54PM
It's always an "enlightening" and "intelligent" argument when one reverts to name calling the FM.
Boy, this is going to be ugly. But no doubt for those of us who live in Scotland and desire a more socially democratic nation which is controlled from Edinburgh not London, it will all be worth it.
The more the UK (TORY LED) government in Westminster push their agenda on the Scottish people, the more the support for independence grows up here. I have a good English friend (who has lived up here 15 years) who was never much supportive of independence. I just spoke to her today, and she told me she is really moving toward the idea of independence as the SNP seem like the only sane government in the UK.
(I doubt this is an isolated scenario)
10 January 2012 7:55PM
The idiots in Westminster have no idea how much hatred and resentment there is in Scotland, Wales and Northern England towards London and the so-called 'Home Counties'. They really are fools if they think these inequalities can continue indefinitely without some major political reaction. The Union as it stands has little or no credibility and Cameron's inept attempts to stop a political juggernaut will end in dismal failure. Secretly though, this may be exactly what he wants as Scottish independence would of course lead to the creation of a de facto Tory one-party state in England - which outcome would provide all the more reason for the North of England to separate from the South as well.
SAOR ALBA