SCOTTISH MPs will be banned from voting on English-only legislation, David Cameron has insisted, as he used his speech to the Conservative Party conference to make his own "vow to England".
The Prime Minister said it was "unfair" Holyrood should receive extra powers if Scots MPs retained a say on English matters. He committed his party to delivering "English votes for English laws".
But, as the Conservatives and Labour remained deadlocked on the proposal, Gordon Brown revealed he had collected nearly 100,000 signatures for a petition rejecting the move.
The former Labour Prime Minister said plans to hand Holyrood more powers over tax and welfare should not come with "Tory strings attached" in the form of English votes for English laws.
Mr Cameron, addressing the Tory faithful in Birmingham, beamed as he told delegates: "I am so proud to stand here today as Prime Minister of four nations in one United Kingdom."
He described the lead-up to the referendum vote as "the most nerve-wracking week of my life" but said a new Conservative star had been born from it: Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tories' leader.
On the joint campaign pledge to hand Holyrood more powers, he said: "We will keep that vow.
"But here is my vow to the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. I know the system is unfair. I know you are asking, 'If Scotland can vote separately on things like tax, spending and welfare, why can't England, Wales and Northern Ireland do the same?' I know you want this answered.
"So this is my vow: English votes for English laws. The Conservatives will deliver it."
Earlier Commons leader William Hague, who is leading the Whitehall review of English votes for English laws, made clear the Tories were absolutely, unconditionally committed to the promises made on more powers for Scotland and would stick to the timetable set out, leading to a draft Bill by the end of January.
However, he gave Labour and the Liberal Democrats an eight-week deadline to agree a deal on more devolution for England and warned that if, by the end of November there was no cross-party agreement on restrictions to the voting rights of Scottish MPs, then the issue would be decided at the General Election.
In a sign of the pressure on the Tory leadership, backbencher Dominic Raab said, in his view, the issue of more Scottish devolution could not move forward if that of more English devolution was not agreed too before the May election.
Last night Mr Brown said he had collected nearly 100,000 signatures opposing English votes for English laws.
He said: "When I urged No-voting and Yes-voting people both to sign the petition supporting the original vow of a stronger Scottish Parliament, I asked that we send a signal rejecting any Tory strings attached, now or later, to the delivery of the pre-referendum promises of more extensive devolution.
"I think No voters will now understand I will do everything in my power to ensure the change they voted for is delivered with no ifs, no buts and no damaging conditions attached."
He added: "The issue is not whether we have change or not. Change is guaranteed."
SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said: "The 'vow' the Westminster party leaders made to the people of Scotland in the run-up to the referendum was to deliver substantial new powers for the Scottish Parliament - no ifs, no buts - and it had nothing to do with English votes for English laws.
"David Cameron's barefaced attempts to backtrack by linking the two will not wash."
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