SCOTLAND’S Brexit minister has said he cannot imagine any circumstances in which SNP MPs would vote in favour of triggering the process of leaving the European Union.
Mike Russell said the party has a “triple mandate” – including its May 2016 manifesto commitment and the country’s Remain vote – to take steps to protect its place in Europe, which would justify blocking Theresa May’s plans to trigger Article 50.
He set out the position when asked on BBC’s Sunday Politics if there were any circumstances in which the SNP’s 54 MPs would vote to start the exit process.
“I can’t imagine what those would be,” he replied.
On the other side of the debate, Nigel Farage was yesterday accused or resorting to the “politics of the gutter” by saying there would be disturbances on the streets if Parliament attempts to thwart Brexit.
Speaking days after headlines in tabloid newspapers portrayed the three judges behind the verdict as “enemies of the people”, the interim Ukip leader said there would be “political anger the likes of which none of us in our lifetimes have ever witnessed” if voters feel they are going to be “cheated”.
Appeared on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show with Gina Miller, one of the campaigners who brought the successful case to the court, he said: “Believe you me, if the people in this country think they’re going to be cheated, they’re going to be betrayed, then we will see political anger the likes of which none of us in our lifetimes have ever witnessed in this country.
“Those newspaper headlines are reflecting that.”
Asked by Marr if there will be a real danger of “disturbance in the streets” if Brexit is thwarted by Parliament, Farage replied: “Yeah, I think that’s right.
“I heard you talking to Gina Miller earlier about the nasty things that have been said about her.
“Believe you me, I’ve had years of this. I’ve had years of hate mobs – taxpayer-funded hate mobs – chasing me around Britain.
“The temperature of this is very, very high. Now, I’m going to say to everybody watching this who was on the Brexit side – let’s try and get even, let’s have peaceful protests and let’s make sure in any form of election we don’t support people who want to overturn this process.”
Farage reiterated his desire for May to call a General Election in spring next year if Parliament tries to force the PM to keep the UK in the European single market.
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: “This is the politics of the gutter.”
The interventions came as there was confusion over whether Labour MPs would support legislation enabling the process of leaving the bloc to get underway.
Jeremy Corbyn suggested in a newspaper interview he would vote against a bill if it did not guarantee access to single market and protect workers rights.
But Labour sources said yesterday that support for invoking Article 50 was “unconditional” and they would only “seek to amend or influence” the Government’s negotiating strategy.
Deputy leader Tom Watson told BBC 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics: “We are not going to hold this up. The British people have spoken and Article 50 will be triggered when it comes to Westminster. Ultimately when the vote comes Labour will support Theresa May to trigger Article 50.”
The Labour leader had told the Sunday Mirror that Labour could vote against triggering Article 50 if the Prime Minister did not agree to Labour’s “Brexit bottom lines”.
He said: “The court has thrown a big spanner in the works by saying Parliament must be consulted.
“We accept the result of the referendum. We are not challenging the referendum. We are not calling for a second referendum.
“We’re calling for market access for British industry to Europe.”
The developments come after the High Court ruled on Thursday that MPs must be given a say on Brexit, thereby blocking May’s plans to trigger Article 50 without parliamentary approval.
Suggestions May might lack the majority needed to win such a vote fuelled speculation she may be forced to call an early general election to seek a mandate for her plans.
During the same interview Corbyn said the Labour Party was ready for an election.
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