PM Holds Talks On English Votes For English Law

David Cameron has discussed plans to restrict the voting rights of Scottish MPs in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister intends to address the issue of MPs in Scotland being able to vote on policies that affect only England alongside the granting of fresh powers to Holyrood following the Scottish referendum.

Mr Cameron discussed the matter with senior Tory MPs at Chequers.

One of those MPs, Leader of the House of Commons William Hague, has been asked to head up a Cabinet committee on the issue.

He told Sky News: "This meeting is the beginning of a process of discussion and consultation - it's not to finalise anything. But there was a great deal of common ground and unity among the Conservative MPs.

"Everyone was very clear that the commitments made to Scotland must be honoured, and there's also a good understanding that there are natural consequences for the rest of the UK - it's a matter of fairness to all the people of the United Kingdom.

"That's why we're saying in the Conservative Party that decisions that only affect England, or England and Wales, should only be made by MPs who represent those parts of the UK."

Mr Hague's committee will include coalition colleagues from the Liberal Democrats - and he opened the possibility of talks with Labour.

The row over Mr Cameron's decision to link the issues threatens to overshadow the Labour Party conference, with Ed Miliband under pressure to support the changes.

The Labour leader said he backed greater "scrutiny" of the matter, but he stopped short of a pledge on votes, arguing such a major constitutional change should not be rushed.

Labour, which has 40 of Scotland's 59 MPs, has most to lose from any measures which would restrict the voting rights of MPs representing constituencies north of the border.

Speaking to Sky News at the Labour Party conference in Manchester, shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: "We need, after Scotland, to make sure we have constitutional change which is fair ... but you don't do that on some rushed timetable decided by politicians."

He added: "We can have fairness and keep our Union. David Cameron giving the impression somehow this is dead easy, he is just trying to fool people and he won't get away with it."

Labour's proposal would see a UK-wide consultation before a constitution was drawn up for MPs to vote on in autumn 2015.

Before the referendum, together with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, the Tory and Labour leaders signed a vow to Scottish voters promising further powers if they rejected independence.

But within hours of Scotland voting No to devolution, Mr Cameron had announced the process for looking at the question about voting rights of MPs would proceed in tandem with the deal for Scotland.

A No 10 source stressed the two processes would run in parallel, but the package for Holyrood was not conditional on reaching agreement at Westminster about English votes.

The Prime Minister's "English votes for English laws" summit at Chequers has been seen as an attempt to head off a potential backbench rebellion on constitutional reform amid concern about the promises made to Scotland.

First Minister Alex Salmond claimed the Westminster party leaders tricked people into voting No to independence with their last-minute promise of more powers for Holyrood.

He told Sky News: "It's the people who voted No because they believed these commitments from the Westminster leadership, these are the people who are feeling most angry, most hurt, most disappointed in Scotland today."