Three little words that sent party running for cover

THE week began with three small words: "Bring it on." But it ended with the Secretary of State for Scotland being accused of running for cover and other senior Labour figures ducking difficult questions.

And there is now an apparently unbridgeable divide between Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, and his Labour leader in Scotland, Wendy Alexander, who uttered the now infamous phrase demanding the SNP bring forward its plans for a referendum on independence.

Labour's meltdown yesterday brought accusations that Des Browne, the Scotland Secretary at Westminster, was "running scared". The Tories said he had refused repeated requests to appear on television to discuss the timing of a referendum poll.

Tomorrow, the difference of opinion between Ms Alexander, who wants an early referendum, and Mr Brown – who wants to wait until the Calman Commission reports next year – will be further exposed by Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman.

In a pre-recorded GMTV interview, she refuses on seven occasions to endorse Ms Alexander's "bring it on" call.

Ms Harman was forced to deny that Labour – following its worst national opinion-poll rating since 1930 – was being buffeted like John Major, the beleaguered Tory prime minister in the early 1990s. She insisted there was no "fundamental split in the Labour Party".

Ms Alexander doesn't even appear to have the wholehearted support of her brother Douglas, the International Development Secretary. He made it clear he backed the position of Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, that any vote should not happen until a review into the future of devolution concludes.

Asked whether he supported his sister's call for a referendum "now", Mr Alexander told Channel 4 News: "I support the government's position."

At Holyrood, there was concern that Ms Alexander's remarks could undermine the Calman Commission. Nicol Stephen, the Liberal Democrat leader, feared the debate on Scotland's future would become "very polarised" between Ms Alexander, Mr Brown and Alex Salmond, the First Minister.

The SNP said a breakdown of the YouGov poll put it on 32 per cent, with Labour on 26 per cent, giving the SNP 23 MPs if repeated at a general election.

Meanwhile, a source close to the First Minister described claims that the SNP was prepared to "cosy up" to a future Tory government at Westminster as "utter rubbish".

Back in Scotland, Ms Alexander was said to be "seriously considering" the idea of bringing forward a motion in Holyrood next month on a referendum.

Under parliamentary rules, Labour are not allowed to bring forward an actual referendum bill as the Scottish Government has published a white paper with the intention of legislating in the lifetime of the parliament. But a motion may embarrass the SNP if they voted it down.

A final decision by Ms Alexander will not be made until Wednesday, after Mr Salmond outlines his programme for the year ahead. She has demanded he includes a referendum bill in that programme.

The tense atmosphere was summed up with speculation Ms Alexander was about to issue a resignation statement. But she had simply cancelled a constituency engagement because her children's babysitter was ill.