Scotland offer has 'huge implications for Northern Ireland'

New powers promised to Scotland in the event of a 'No' vote would have "huge implications" for Northern Ireland, the country's deputy leader Martin McGuinness has said.

George Osborne has promised to set out plans to give Scotland more autonomy on tax, spending and welfare if it chooses to stay in the United Kingdom in next week's vote.

McGuinness, whose Sinn Fein party is refusing to implement cuts to social welfare mandated by London, suggested the devolution of welfare rates in particular could prompt Northern Ireland to ask for the same.

"If Scotland gets, in the event of a no vote, power over social welfare and the ability to decide their own social welfare payment rates, then that has big implications for us and I would hope that we can benefit from that," McGuinness told journalists.

He refused to comment on whether he supported Scottish independence, but said the population was watching the referendum closely.