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A rebel Tory MSP has called for a referendum before more tax powers are given to the Scottish Parliament.

Unionist Margaret Mitchell attacked "navel-gazing" MSPs for devoting time to an issue in which she said voters had little interest.

Holyrood is poised to gain increased powers under the Scotland Bill, currently going through Westminster.

Ms Mitchell's call in a parliamentary debate won the backing of the SNP - but not her own party.

UK ministers say the Scotland Bill, currently going through Westminster, will devolve new tax and borrowing powers worth £12bn, as well as giving control over air weapons and drink-driving and speed limits to Holyrood.

It came about in the wake of the Calman review of devolution, backed by Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories, but was dismissed by the SNP government, which backs full independence.

Calling for all parties to back a referendum, Ms Mitchell told MSPs: "It would be a dark day in the evolution of the Scottish Parliament if this fundamentally important issue fell on the sword of partisan politics."

The Tory said that, while Holyrood was regarded as being more open to the public than Westminster, "MSPs have been guilty of talking largely to themselves or academics."

Previous consultation

"Politicians know that constitutional change is not the major issue raised by constituents," she said.

Ms Mitchell branded the Calman review, "a reaction by the unionist parties to the advent of minority SNP government in May 2007".

"In other words," she said, "Holyrood politicians decided to constitutionally navel-gaze, when, in the real world, it was widely recognised that the elephant in the room is the desperate need to reform how business in the Scottish Parliament is actually carried out."

Attacking the previous public consultation held on reforms at Holyrood for being too narrow, Ms Mitchell said: "The only way to ensure that the Scottish Parliament and its members generally seek the views of and listen to the people it represents on this most important of all issues is to hold a nationwide Scottish referendum."

Deputy Scottish Tory deputy Murdo Fraser, who spoke after Ms Mitchell in the debate, made no reference to her comments, but did back the Scotland Bill.

Following the debate, MSPs backed a parliamentary motion, in the name of Labour leader Iain Gray, calling on the UK government to consider calls to increase Holyrood's powers beyond those currently contained in the Scotland Bill.

Ms Mitchell's amendment on a referendum was defeated.