THE UK Government has been told it can no longer ignore the evidence showing the damage its Brexit stance is doing to devolution and the Scottish economy – and that there is currently “no prospect” of Holyrood giving consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill.
The warning was delivered by Scotland’s Brexit Minister, Michael Russell, ahead of a visit to Edinburgh today by Theresa May’s Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington.
Lidington and Scottish Secretary David Mundell will have talks on the Brexit Bill with Russell and Deputy First Minister, John Swinney. Lidington will head north after a similar meeting with Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones in Cardiff.
READ MORE: Murray: Report blows Labour's ‘jobs first’ Brexit out of the water
Mundell said the aim was to agree an amendment to the Brexit Bill on devolution which we can be put forward in the House of Lords.
Russell said last night: “Throughout this entire process, whether considering the EU Withdrawal Bill or the future relationship with Europe, our number one priority has been to protect Scotland’s interests. That must mean staying in the single market – the world’s richest marketplace of 500 million people. Independent experts, the Scottish Government and even the UK Government’s own analysis all agree there will be a heavy cost to jobs and living standards from a hard Brexit. Given this overwhelming evidence, it is essential the UK Government changes course and starts to take the concerns of people in Scotland seriously.
“On the EU Withdrawal Bill, we are becoming increasingly exasperated by the UK Government’s approach. This is not a disagreement between the Scottish and UK governments. It is now agreed unanimously, with support across Parliament, that the bill is incompatible with devolution and will allow Westminster to take control of devolved areas.
“The Scottish and Welsh Governments’ joint amendments to the bill to protect devolution were rejected by UK ministers, who then failed to honour their commitment for amendments of their own. The UK Government must make changes to address these concerns.
“Because of their failure so far to listen, there is currently no prospect of the Scottish Parliament giving its consent. That is why we need to press ahead with our own preparations to ensure Scotland’s laws are protected in the event the UK leaves the EU.”
Lidington, who will also meet Scottish business leaders tomorrow, said: “I am also looking forward to continuing my discussions with Carwyn Jones and John Swinney on how we can make progress with the EU Withdrawal Bill in our face-to-face talks today. We need to work together to find an agreed way forward.”
The Tories have been accused of an attempted “power grab” because the bill states that powers currently held in Brussels will return to London at least initially even though some of them are currently with the remit of the devolved administrations.
However, Mundell claimed: “The return of powers from the EU will lead to a significant increase in the decision-making powers of Holyrood. We have made good progress in our discussions with the Scottish Government on common frameworks and will continue those discussions today. We want to agree an amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill which we can then bring forward in the Lords.”
The House of Lords had its second day of debate on the Withdrawal Bill yesterday. Among those who spoke were former Commons speaker Baroness Boothroyd, who urged her fellow peers to use their “entire arsenal” of powers to limit the damage the legislation could do.
She said: “I do not recall a comparable crisis of such prolonged intensity and danger to the national interest and the country’s future as a United Kingdom.
“Regardless of how we voted in the referendum or what we think of the Government’s squabbling factions now I believe that the duty on your lordships’ House is very clear.
“That duty is to assert our rights to scrutinise, to amend, and if need be to reject, unacceptable parts of this bill and to use the entire arsenal of our powers and prerogatives to limit the damage that threatens the sovereignty of Parliament and the national interest.
“Let’s put party allegiance aside on this issue. Nothing less than the nation’s future is now at stake.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel