Report: Give Scotland a real say in EU negotiations

THERESA May’s Government need to “raise their game” and give Scotland and other UK nations a real say in Brexit negotiations, according to a Westminster report out today.

The House of Lords report on Brexit and devolution urges the Tories to work with devolved administrations, rather than a “top down” approach.

That criticism was made before the publication of the Repeal Bill which the SNP in Edinburgh and Labour in Wales said amounted to a “power grab” by Westminster.

In a joint statement, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Labour’s Carwyn Jones said they could not recommend the devolved parliaments approve the bill as it stands.

The report warns that a lasting outcome “will need the consent of all the nations of the UK and of their elected representatives”.

Lord Jay, a member of the Lords EU Committee, said Brexit could turn the relations between Westminster and devolved parliaments toxic.

He added: “The UK Government must respect the devolved institutions.

“It’s got to take account of what they say and adjust its approach to accommodate their specific needs.

“Equally the devolved administrations must work with, not against, the UK Government to get the best Brexit for the whole of the UK.”

While the SNP plan for Scotland to stay in the EU single market was described as “politically impracticable, legally complex and economically disruptive” in the report, the committee concluded any Brexit deal should meet Scotland’s “particular needs”.

The report also calls for an end to the Barnett Formula and suggests a funding system “which allocates resources to devolved administrations based on an explicit assessment of their relative needs”.

Michael Russell, the SNP Minister for UK Negotiations, said: “Just as there should be no power grab, there should be no attempt to use Brexit to cut Scotland’s budget.”