Call for free independence vote

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Scotland's new constitution minister has called for a free vote in parliament over plans to hold an independence referendum.

Mike Russell told BBC Scotland it was "basic democracy" to give the public the right to choose over the issue.

But his call was dismissed by opposition parties, who said the SNP should concentrate on the recession.

The minority Scottish Government does not have enough support to pass a bill to hold the referendum.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy suggested Mr Russell's job title should be "minister for breaking up Britain".

Mr Russell told BBC Scotland's Politics Show it was "entirely right" to give the Scottish people a right to decide on independence. The SNP needs to stop chuntering on about its obsession with independence and concentrate on dealing with Labour's recession Annabel GoldieScottish Conservative leader

"I actually think there is a natural majority for that bill in the Scottish Parliament," he said.

The minister added: "Maybe there is a majority in the parliament that should be expressed in a free vote.

"I think that would be an option for every party to say 'this is a very important constitutional issue I think there is a majority in the parliament - let's go for it and let's have a free vote on it'."

Mr Russell's comments came after veteran Lib Dem Holyrood backbencher John Farquhar Munro broke ranks with his party to call for a referendum.

But Mr Munro's leader, Tavish Scott, said appointing a constitution minister was a waste of taxpayers' cash.

"I don't think there's any way there's any political support in parliament for a referendum before the 2011 election, because most of us care passionately about trying to do something about people's jobs, helping the livelihoods of everyday Scots," Mr Scott said.

'Work together'

Mr Murphy accused the Scottish Government of playing games during a time of economic crisis.

"Scotland want's its politicians to work together like never before, and the SNP seem to have appointed - as far as I can work out - a minister for breaking up Britain," he said.

"If they were serious about getting through this economic recession together, they should appoint a minister for economic recovery."

Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie added: "The SNP needs to stop chuntering on about its obsession with independence and concentrate on dealing with Labour's recession."

The Scottish Government recently dropped plans to replace council tax with a local income tax, citing a lack of parliamentary support as one of the reasons.

Ministers also said the UK Government efficiency savings drive, which they claimed would take £500m-a-year off the Scottish budget, would make the proposals difficult to bring in.