One of Scotland’s richest men, who backed a Yes vote in the referendum, is now arguing for devolution across the whole of the UK.
Jim McColl, whose fortune is estimated at £850 million, said this would need much greater transfer of powers to all of the country’s nations and regions.
Asked whether he still hoped Scotland would move towards independence, Mr McColl said: “No, the decision’s been made. I don’t think this is a Scotland-England issue this is a London and the rest of the UK thing. This is all about centralisation.”
However, he said the Smith Commission recommendations did not include powers that would help Scotland create jobs.
Mr McColl argued ahead of last year’s referendum that Scotland was unlikely to win enough control over its economy without independence, but that independence would still allow close economic cooperation with the remaining UK.
His status as one of Scotland’s most successful industrialists made his support particularly valuable to an independence campaign that was viewed with scepticism by most key business figures.
Conservative spokeswoman Annabel Goldie said: “It is immensely heartening and refreshing that Jim McColl concludes that independence should be off the agenda.”