• World

Scotland’s First Minister Says Voters Who Backed Union Were ‘Misled’

2 minute read

First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond says that those who voted “no” to an independent Scotland during last week’s referendum were “gulled,” “misled” and “tricked effectively” by last-minute promises from the United Kingdom.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and leaders of other political parties had agreed before the referendum to grant Scotland greater ability to act on its own to set tax, welfare and budget policies, London’s The Telegraph reports.

But Cameron said after the referendum that those changes would only happen “in tandem” with the exclusion of Scottish politicians from votes on matters that concern only England.

He also expressed hesitance about granting Scotland new powers without doing the same for Wales, Northern Ireland and England. “We have heard the voice of Scotland and now the millions of voices of England must be heard,” Cameron said on Friday.

Salmond accused Westminster leaders of “cavilling and reneging on commitments,” speaking to the BBC on Sunday. “They seem to be totally shameless in these matters,” he said.

“The Yes campaign aren’t surprised by this development. It’s the people who were persuaded to vote No who were misled, who were gulled, who were tricked effectively. They are the ones who are really angry.”

[Telegraph]

More Must-Reads From TIME

Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com