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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Salmond in independence test call | Salmond in independence test call |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| First Minister Alex Salmond is to challenge his unionist opponents to put their plans for Scottish constitutional reform to the test of a referendum. | |
| The public should be asked to choose between independence and devolution with beefed-up powers, he will argue. | The public should be asked to choose between independence and devolution with beefed-up powers, he will argue. |
| The challenge will come as the Scottish Government embarks on the latest phase of its "national conversation" on Scotland's future. | The challenge will come as the Scottish Government embarks on the latest phase of its "national conversation" on Scotland's future. |
| Critics said Mr Salmond was pursuing a partisan obsession. | Critics said Mr Salmond was pursuing a partisan obsession. |
| Mr Salmond's national conversation, which strongly features the option of independence, was launched in a white paper last year. | Mr Salmond's national conversation, which strongly features the option of independence, was launched in a white paper last year. |
| Referendum call | Referendum call |
| Phase two, being launched on Wednesday, aims to engage great institutions of Scottish society, such as business groups, unions and universities to join the debate. | Phase two, being launched on Wednesday, aims to engage great institutions of Scottish society, such as business groups, unions and universities to join the debate. |
| It will come after the launch by Scotland's pro-Union parties of an independent commission to review devolution, which will not consider the option of independence. | It will come after the launch by Scotland's pro-Union parties of an independent commission to review devolution, which will not consider the option of independence. |
| The first minister will argue the two options should be put to the people in a referendum which he hopes to hold in 2010, but currently lacks parliamentary support for. | The first minister will argue the two options should be put to the people in a referendum which he hopes to hold in 2010, but currently lacks parliamentary support for. |
| Mr Salmond's rivals said their commission was responding to the wishes of mainstream Scotland - for devolution with enhanced powers. | Mr Salmond's rivals said their commission was responding to the wishes of mainstream Scotland - for devolution with enhanced powers. |