Heat on Davidson over Brexit Bill
RUTH Davidson is coming under increasing pressure to marshal Scottish Tory MPs to oppose Theresa May in a crucial Commons vote on Brexit tonight. Ahead of the first major Commons vote on the EU Withdrawal Bill, the SNP renewed calls for the Scottish Conservatives to side with Remainers and create an anti-Brexit majority in the finely balanced parliament. Stephen Gethins, the SNP’s European Affairs spokesman, appealed for Davidson and the 12 new Scots Tory MPs at her command to join the drive against a hard Brexit. Writing in the Daily Record to mark the 20th anniversary of the devolution referendum, he said Scottish MPs could be pivotal in forcing May’s Government into a softer exit from Europe. SNP MPs are supporting Labour in the Commons today in a vote against the Bill, which both parties claim would result in a “power grab” by Westminster of devolved policy areas
May is expected to narrowly win the vote with support from the Northern Irish DUP MPs after a marathon debate.
Privately, Scottish Tory MPs claim to be working behind the scenes to lay the ground for the new powers that will come to Scotland after Brexit.
A party source said: “Our MPs were elected to work in the best interests of their constituents and that is exactly what they are going to do.”
Davidson said last week that she feared the UK might not recover from an economic downturn sparked by a cliff-edge withdrawal from the EU.