THE Conservative Government is “making the case for independence” with its attempt to block Scottish efforts to prepare laws for Brexit, the SNP have claimed.
This week, the Supreme Court ruled nearly all of the Scottish Government’s Continuity Bill, an alternative Brexit Bill, was competent at the time it was passed – but that the Tories used what Michael Russell described as “sleekit” tricks to later thwart it.
Following the ruling, the SNP’s depute leader Keith Brown said it exposed the “astonishing lengths” the UK Government have gone to in a bid to undermine devolution.
READ MORE: Parts of Scottish Continuity Bill outwith Holyrood's power, rules UK court
Brown said: “With every day that passes, the Tories are making the case for independence.
“The UK Government’s behaviour over the Continuity Bill – exposed this week by the UK Supreme Court – shows the utter contempt with which they are treating Scotland.
“With the UK Government’s approach to Brexit in complete and utter chaos, it’s no wonder the Scottish Parliament didn’t trust Westminster to prepare our laws for life after Brexit. But the astonishing lengths the Tories have went to tie Holyrood’s hands should shock all democrats.”
He added: “Scotland never voted for Brexit but we’re having a one-size-fits-all approach imposed on us by a Tory party who simply can’t be trusted. It is now clearer than ever that Westminster is simply not working for us and that only independence will put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.”
Tory constitutional spokesman Adam Tomkins, pictued above, responded. “This is an astonishing assertion from the SNP and one that is demonstrably false," he said.
“The Supreme Court ruled, conclusively, that the SNP’s Continuity Bill was largely incompetent.
“Once again the SNP demonstrates that it cannot accept a verdict it disagrees with and will use any tactic to push for independence.”
READ MORE: Mhairi Black: May & Corbyn united in commitment to cowardice
Most MSPs had voted in favour of the legislation put forward by Scottish ministers as an alternative to the EU Withdrawal Act, which was then challenged by the UK Government.
The Scottish Conservatives opposed the Bill and have now said it should be scrapped.
Speaking after the court’s decision, Tomkins said: “Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a clear, unambiguous and of course unanimous judicial vindication for those of us who considered that the SNP’s so-called continuity bill unlawful.”
But Scotland’s top law officer, Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC, told him: “It’s clear that at the time this Parliament passed the bill, it was – in its entirety with the exception of one section – within the competence of this Parliament.”
He told MSPs the EU Withdrawal Act – which was passed by Westminster but which the Scottish Parliament did not consent to – had subsequently imposed “new limits on the legislative competence of this Parliament”.
Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell branded the legal challenge an “act of constitutional vandalism” by the UK Government and said he would speak with other parties about amending the bill.
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