THE Scottish Parliament will be recalled next week to allow MSPs to consider the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal before the new year.
It is the fourth time the Holyrood parliament has been recalled since devolution.
The previous occasions were after the death of Donald Dewar in October 2000, the death of the Queen Mother in 2002, and the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in 2009.
MSPs will sit in a hybrid session at 2pm on Wednesday December 30 to discuss the trade deal between the UK and the EU.
The Scottish Parliament is currently in recess and the next business was not due to take place until Tuesday January 12.
Presiding officer Ken Macintosh announced the recall on Sunday.
READ MORE: Scottish Government not to rule out seeking to rejoin EU's Erasmus scheme
A statement on the parliament’s business bulletin said: “The presiding officer wishes to announce that a meeting of the Parliament will be convened on Wednesday December 30 2020 at 2pm to consider a trade and co-operation agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union.”
The SNP's representatives in Westminster have announced they will be voting against the deal. The First Minister tweeted in support, saying: "The Brexit deal will pass regardless of how @theSNP votes. Scotland’s voice & interests are unimportant to the Westminster establishment. Far better then for our MPs to cast a principled vote against Brexit, as we get on with winning the positive case for independence."
However, Conservative politicians have criticised the move, with Andrew Bowie MP saying the SNP are "literally voting for a No-Deal exit".
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