The British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, was drawn into the increasingly bitter row over the decision to go ahead with the Scottish devolution referendum, as another MP called on him yesterday to suspend the vote. Campaigning for the Scottish referendum and the Welsh assembly was suspended until after Princess Diana's funeral on Saturday. It was a move which gained wide support in Scotland and Wales. However, some pro-devolutionists in Edinburgh have acknowledged that after Labour's troubles in Paisley at the beginning of the campaign, they effectively lost 10 days, and now face an uphill task with only four days of campaigning available.
With the Labour MP for Linlithgow, Mr Tam Dalyell, arguing earlier this week that the referendum should be postponed, the Tory MP, Mr Gerald Howarth, joined the debate yesterday. Mr Howarth called on Mr Blair to intervene in the continuing row over devolution to "show respect for the democratic process" as well as the princess.
In a letter to Mr Blair, Mr Howarth said: "I believe the desire to show respect for the late princess should be matched by a similar desire to show respect for the democratic process. All sides to the argument acknowledge that the devolution issue goes to the heart of the constitution of the United Kingdom. It is therefore essential that the electors have the time to hear and to participate in a measured debate, not one crammed into four frenetic days of activity."
Recognising that parliament would need to be recalled to pass primary legislation to change the date of the referendums, Mr Howarth said he thought that was not "an insuperable obstacle".
The fear in Scotland is that a low turnout would be the worst outcome for both sides of the debate. Many campaigners believe that four days is not long enough for the people to consider the issues, although the Scottish Secretary, Mr Donald Dewar, attempted to de-bunk that theory in recent days. Mr Dewar said on Tuesday that the people of Scotland were not so unsophisticated to be incapable of grieving for the princess while considering the issues at hand.
The "Yes" camp has pointed to allegations of vote-rigging in Paisley, the suspension of the Labour MP, Mr Tommy Graham, and the suicide of Mr Gordon McMaster, as evidence of the traumas it must to overcome before the people of Scotland will swing behind its campaign. PA adds: Hundreds of workers walked out of an offshore engineering yard after being told to work on the day of the Princess of Wales's funeral, it was disclosed last night. The employees at the Aker McNulty yard at South Shields, South Tyneside, asked for Saturday off out of respect for the princess and to watch her funeral service on television.
A Requiem Mass for Princess Diana will be held by the leader of Scotland's Catholics tomorrow, it was announced last night.
Cardinal Thomas Winning has not been invited to join Britain's other senior religious leaders in the sanctuary at the Funeral Service for Diana in Westminster Abbey, although a request was made to the Lord Chamberlain's office that he be included.
The Scottish National Party leader, Mr Alex Salmond, last night said he intended to ask the Lord Chamberlain's office to "think again" over its decision not to invite Cardinal Winning to be in the sanctuary at Westminster Abbey during the funeral.
Mr Salmond said: "Scots will want to make sure that their traditions play a full part in the service at Westminster Abbey, and in that regard many will be concerned at the serious oversight that seems to have taken place with regard to the position of Cardinal Winning."