TIME FOR A SHARP BREXIT
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THE SNP staged a dramatic Commons walkout over the Brexit power grab yesterday as they promised to bring constitutional chaos to Westminster.
Relations between the Scottish and UK governments also broke down as the Europe crisis escalated.
The SNP have promised yet more disruption in the Commons, while First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused Prime Minister Theresa May of showing “contempt” for Scotland.
THE SNP have pledged to bring Brexit chaos to the heart of Westminster by using political guerrilla tactics against the Tory Government.
Nationalist MPs staged a mass walkout from the Commons yesterday in protest at being denied a proper debate about devolving EU powers to Holyrood after Brexit.
And they warned there will be more disruption over the so-called power grab by Theresa May’s Government.
In a day of high drama, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford was thrown out of the Commons by Speaker John Bercow after Prime Minister’s Questions descended into chaos.
Blackford was furious that only 15 minutes had been set aside to debate the power grab and he called for the Commons to sit in private for further discussions.
When he refused repeated requests to sit down, Bercow barred him for the rest of the day.
Blackford’s SNP colleagues then filed out of the chamber.
Outside, Blackford signalled he would now lead the SNP Westminster group in parliamentary guerrilla warfare against the Government.
He accused them of trying to undermine devolution and said it was a “democratic outrage” that Scotland’s voice over the EU Withdrawal Bill was not being allowed to be heard.
Blackford warned the SNP would take the Government on in “every way”, including through parliamentary devices.
He added: “This can’t be business as usual. We feel very strongly about this.
“The Government are changing the terms of the Scotland Act 1998. We have a responsibility to stand up for our constituents, to stand up for Scotland and we have not been allowed to raise our voices in Parliament.”
The unruly scenes in the Commons began when Blackford accused May of ignoring Holyrood and causing a constitutional crisis.
He called for a immediate vote on the House sitting in private – a parliamentary device which would have brought debate on the Brexit Bill to a halt.
The Speaker decided a vote would be taken at the end of the session and told Blackford to sit down.
When he refused, Bercow expelled him.
The other SNP MPs walked out in solidarity.
Mhairi Black angrily jabbed her finger towards the Speaker and her colleague Joanna Cherry MP lifted her batch of order papers at Bercow in a defiant gesture.
Some SNP MPs resumed their seats in the Commons later in the afternoon.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was “right behind” Blackford, adding that Westminster were treating Scotland with “contempt”.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “I am disappointed but not surprised that the SNP should pull a stunt.
“They were about to be granted a debate on all the issues around devolution and the EU Withdrawal Bill. I would far rather they held the government to account like that.”
Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine said: “The SNP abandoned the opportunity to discuss Scotland’s future in favour of a stunt. They silenced themselves and other Scottish MPs.”
Pro-Remain Labour MP Ian Murray said: “This ridiculous stunt may grab headlines but its impact demonstrates just how little the SNP really care about stopping the Tories’ reckless hard Brexit.
“There are knife-edge votes in the Commons, particularly over the customs union, and Ian Blackford has now increased the chances of Theresa May and the Brexiteers getting away with it because he has been banned from voting.
“This is a time for grown-up politics, not manufactured grievances.”
With cross-party support at Holyrood, Sturgeon has refused to give consent to the Brexit Bill. But the Tories are squeezing the Bill through Westminster in a series of tight votes.