MICHAEL Gove’s latest plan to save the Union is “doomed to fail”, Mhairi Black has warned.

The Tory minister has proposed that his government scrap English Vote for English Laws (Evel), a mechanism at Westminster which states bills, amendments and clauses of legislation affecting England alone must be approved by a majority of English MPs.

Introduced after the 2014 independence referendum by David Cameron, it has long been opposed by the SNP, who argue it creates two tiers of parliamentarians.

Black, the SNP's shadow Scotland spokesperson, has branded Gove’s proposal a “cheap political move”.

She told the Westminster government that only independence would suffice.

"Reports of scrapping English Votes for English Laws haven't appeared due to a sudden interest in non-English MP participation, it is yet another cheap political move by the Tory government to try and maintain the broken union – and it is doomed to fail,” Black said.

"Far from being a partnership of equals, time and time again Scotland's voice in Westminster has been ignored.

She added: "Scotland doesn't need constitutional tinkering – we need independence.

“The reality is that Scotland is increasingly vulnerable under Westminster control. It's clear that the only way to keep Scotland safe from the long-term damage of Tory austerity and Brexit is to become an independent country."

READ MORE: Michael Gove plans to scrap English votes for English laws in bid to save Union

Evel – which was suspended in April last year to simplify Commons proceedings during the pandemic – has long been criticised by the SNP.

Nicola Sturgeon and her colleagues have pointed out that many English-only laws do have an impact on Scotland because Holyrood’s funding via the Barnett formula is determined by spending south of the Border.

Scottish MPs can vote on laws applying only in England, though such bills would require a double majority – consisting of all MPs and of those representing English constituencies.

The legislation has also been opposed by the Scottish Tories since 2017. They have warned it provides the SNP with “a stick to beat” the UK Government.

Gove proposed to Cabinet colleagues that the mechanism be abolished, to make Parliament work “for every part of the UK and every party in the UK”.

He told the Times: “Ultimately, it’s a convention which arose out of a set of circumstances after the 2014 referendum, where you had a coalition government and so on.

“We’ve moved on now, so I think it’s right to review where we are on it … My view is that the more we can make the House of Commons and Westminster institutions work for every part of the UK and every party in the UK, the better.”

The plan has won support from Scottish Secretary Alister Jack but is opposed by two senior Cabinet members, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.

Gove added: “We have been throughout Covid operating without English Votes for English Laws. And I think that’s worked well, and I think that we can reflect on the lessons of operating without the need for English votes for English law.

“But obviously it can’t just be a unilateral decision by any individual, it has to be considered one that is put forward and accepted by the Commons as a whole.”