must and will prevail. the tories‘ reluctance to allow hard to fathom. so the first minister is now locked and’e’ former prime minister hesj'ust into the middle of the argument. in a speech in kirkcaldy here today, gordon brown says he's i fear for a divided scotland. i fear for bitter, acrimonious debate. he says he has a third option. if new powers over agriculture and fishing, vat rates and the rinht to conclude international trade treaties were devolved to scotland, he thinks there wouldn't need to be a vote on full independence. good morning. good morning, how are you? but when the scottish parliament vote next week to request a referendum, does he think the prime minister should give her consent? i think it's very difficult for a british parliament now to deny the scottish people their right, if they wish to vote for it, to have a referendum. but, look, i want to wait and see what the scottish parliament does. i want to wait and see what the conservative government does in reaction. so to be absolutely clear, if the scottish government formally requests a referendum on independence and the westminster government denies that request, would that be a mistake? i don't think the westminster government is saying they're going to deny it. what the westminster government is saying, at the moment, she seems is befseylng a referendum forever. might happen, butris determined