SNP MP Mhairi Black has accused Tory Secretary of State Alister Jack’s Scotland Office of failing to achieve its stated key objectives – which include “acting as custodians” of the devolution settlement.
The new SNP shadow Scottish secretary said the UK Government department should be “mortified” over its shortcomings.
Black said: “The Scotland Office’s strategic plan for 2015-20 commits the department to three key objectives. The first objective is to “act as custodians” of the devolution settlement – despite Westminster this week pushing through an unprecedented attack on devolution.
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“The Tories’ Brexit Bill gives the UK Government power to act in devolved areas – and was passed despite the Scottish Parliament refusing legislative consent.”
Black went on: “The second objective is to act as ‘Scotland’s voice in Whitehall’ – with the department entirely failing to recognise Scotland’s overwhelming vote to Remain in the EU. Scotland will be the only country in the UK to be dragged out of the EU against our will without a special deal.
“The third objective is to ‘champion the UK government in Scotland’ – the Tories lost seven of their 13 seats in the General Election.”
Black said: “People in Scotland will be shocked to see this paper-thin list of objectives – which hardly justifies the extravagant cost of running an entire government department. The entire purpose of the Scotland Office is to act as a pointless propaganda unit for the Tory Government.
“What’s staggering is that, on each of their three goals, they’ve entirely failed. They should be mortified. “The Tories are ripping up the devolution settlement and forcing Brexit on Scotland against our will. It’s clearer than ever that Scotland’s future should be in Scotland’s hands – not Boris Johnson’s.”
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