ROBBIE DINWOODIE and MIKE SETTLE

In January last year, in the run-up to the Holyrood election, the then Prime Minister Tony Blair laid down a clear marker on Labour's views of a Scottish referendum.

"If Scotland ends up with an independence bill and referendums on Scottish independence, then you are just going to create a situation of enormous uncertainty and instability," he said.

That same month Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, was asked if Westminster would abide by a yes vote for independence in a referendum. He replied: "Of course, Scotland has always had the choice to choose independence," adding: "It is always the right of people to secede within a democracy."

Then, in an interview weeks before the poll in May, it was put to Mr Alexander that "What Labour should be doing, is offering, promising their own referendum because Alex Salmond was right, the idea of a referendum is hugely popular here."

Mr Alexander replied: "But actually it's not our politics. I mean, Alex gets up every morning and wants to take Scotland out of the British state.

"What gets me out of bed in the morning is not ending the border with England but ending poverty. And in that sense I don't think we should succumb to a different kind of politics which says borders matter more than giving kids the best start in life. That would be his politics, not ours."

Yesterday, more than a year on, the issue of a referendum dominated politics. With the Labour leaderships at Westminster and Holyrood at odds over who said what, to whom and when, the only constant has been what the SNP started out by saying in its manifesto for last year's election.

They promised: "Publication of a white paper detailing the concept of Scottish independence in the modern world as part of preparations for offering Scots the opportunity to decide on independence in a referendum, with a likely date of 2010."

Then last November Allan Wilson, the Wendy Alexander aide, said: "Labour leader Wendy Alexander should call Alex Salmond's bluff and support an independence referendum." After that all went quiet until last weekend saw an article in a Sunday paper saying that Gordon Brown and Wendy Alexander were both considering giving Labour's support to a referendum on Scotland's future in the Union.

This led to Ms Alexander appearing on television on Sunday to confirm the new policy of demanding an earlier timetable for a referendum. "Bring it on," she said.

On Monday, Ms Alexander said: "I am very attracted to the idea of a straight choice for or against independence which Alex Salmond says he is in favour of but which he seems to be remarkably reluctant to put to the vote."

By Tuesday she was saying: "I have absolutely no fear of the Scottish people's verdict and so I will not lead Scottish Labour into the lobbies to vote down the right of the people of Scotland to speak."

That same night she was asked: "Is Gordon Brown endorsing your decision to call for a referendum?" Yes. "And he has told you this?" Yes.

Of all this, a Salmond aide said: "It would now be untenable to do a U-turn on a U-turn when that bill comes forward to have a referendum in 2010."

This prompted Annabel Goldie MSP, Scottish Tory leader, to say: "This is a reckless political gamble Wendy Alexander is dancing to Alex Salmond's jig."

Yesterday attention switched to Westminster and David Cameron's taunt about whether Mr Brown and Ms Alexander agreed on the referendum. Mr Cameron: "Wendy Alexander says there should be a referendum now on Scottish independence. Does he agree with her?"

Mr Brown: "That's not what she said and the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the Labour Party have joined together in setting up the Calman review."

What then ensued yesterday was a bizarre double denial. Ms Alexander's spokesman clung to the fact that the word "now" meant Mr Cameron's assertion was untrue, ignoring the broad sense of the way in which the Prime Minister had effectively disowned the latest position of Ms Alexander.