SCOTTISH Tory MSPs have been accused of a “dereliction of duty” after voting against extending emergency coronavirus legislation beyond the end of the month.
Both the SNP and Greens accused the party of playing political games with the vote ahead of May’s Holyrood election.
The legislation, which includes additional protections for vulnerable people as well as allowing police to fine people who are placing others in danger, was set to lapse on March 31, almost a month before the Government anticipates lifting lockdown in favour of a return to the levels system.
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A vote on extending the legislation until September 30 was taken this morning at Holyrood’s Covid-19 committee.
However, Tory committee members argued against the move, with the party’s health spokesperson, Donald Cameron, saying it would be better for the government elected in May to decide if emergency legislation is needed.
Giving evidence, Constitution Secretary Michael Russell stressed that there is nothing in the legislation to prevent a new government “taking stock” of it as they wished, and said he regretted that party politics had entered the discussion.
Russell told the committee that voting for the extensions “does not mean that all provisions covered by the extension will remain in place until September 30”.
“The Scottish Government will of course keep the continued necessity of these provisions under review,” he added.
When the motion was put to members of the committee, the two Tory MSPs present, Cameron and colleague Maurice Corry, voted against.
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Representatives from all of the other parties unanimously voted for the motion.
Cameron, who is also the committee chair, said that the government chosen in May should be able to “reflect” on legislation rather than have it extended through the election period.
Russell said he believed the Tory position was “foolish” and was “letting the people of Scotland down”, as no legislation would be in place between April 1 and the new government’s introduction.
His SNP colleague, Stuart McMillan MSP (above), who sits on the committee, accused the Tories of “irresponsible and dangerous political game-playing”.
He went on: “It’s critical that the Scottish Government has the flexibility of these emergency powers to react to the ongoing threat to public health during this horrendous pandemic.
“And the flexibility to react at speed – to save lives and protect the NHS – will not change regardless of who forms our government after the May 6 election.
“For the Tories to try to strip Scotland of this defensive measure demonstrates their shocking priorities – they will always put party politics ahead of the health of the nation.
“That is unforgivable at any time but even more so during a national crisis like this. It’s once more proof that the Tories – led by untrustworthy Boris Johnson – are not fit to govern."
Another committee member, Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell, echoed McMillan’s accusations of “political game-playing”.
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He said: “Our first duty should be to keep the public safe, so it is shocking that the Tories have just voted to allow the Covid public health laws to lapse after March 31, when parliament dissolves.
“This shouldn’t be about party politics and game-playing ahead of the election, it’s about protecting the public from this virus and preventing death.
“No one believes these emergency laws should be in place a moment longer than they are needed, but the Tories have shown a dereliction of duty for voting for them to be lifted before it is safe.”
Commenting, Cameron said: “It was right that emergency legislation was passed in parliament this time last year as we urgently tackled the coronavirus crisis.
“But as we continue to make significant progress in suppressing the virus and rolling out the vaccine, it’s time to take stock of the impact these emergency powers have had on the wider population.
“This legislation has given the SNP Government unprecedented powers over individuals’ day-to-day lives. We are rapidly approaching an election period, and rather than a long extension of this legislation to the end of September, we should have pressed ‘pause’.
“That would have allowed a new administration to reflect on this legislation after the election, and look at easing some of the measures that people must follow.”
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