THE Tory Government has been branded “delusional” after the UK Policing Minister claimed international treaties are not bound by the “letter of the law”.

Speaking ahead of a Commons vote on the much derided Internal Market Bill, Kit Malthouse revealed he will vote for the proposals even if they break international legislation.

That admission was described as “gobsmacking” by Ian Blackford, who dubbed the Tory administration a “shower of charlatans”.

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Malthouse, speaking to BBC Breakfast, said: "I'll be voting for the bill because I don't believe that if that circumstance should arise, where food is prevented from moving from GB to Northern Ireland, that the Prime Minister has any choice but to take powers to allow Tesco to stock the shelves in Belfast."

Asked if he would do so even if it broke international law, the Tory MP stated: "I will be voting for the bill this afternoon, yes."

The Policing Minister added: “International treaties are as much about the spirit and the intent as they are about the letter of the law.

“No-one contemplated that this situation would occur and I’ve yet to hear a compelling solution … to that practical issue that we’re faced with that hopefully will never occur, but may occur in the future, and why we shouldn’t have an insurance policy for that.”

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An astonished Blackford responded on Twitter.

He wrote: “Gobsmacking and delusional. It is a matter of law, no ifs or buts. What a shower of charlatans this Government is. They have utterly trashed their reputation internationally. They cannot be trusted and as such are not fit to lead.”

The Internal Market Bill, which has its second reading today, is facing a signicant backlash from Tory MPs, with former Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. Five former Prime Minister’s have also condemned the proposals, with David Cameron raising objections earlier today.

The SNP, along with the LibDems, Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Greens and Alliance Party, have tabled a wrecking amendment to the legislation which, if backed by enough MPs, would see it completely rejected.

The SNP have warned the legislation would represent a power grab on Holyrood and could lead to the “kind of creeping privatisation already seen” in the NHS south of the Border.