We will be heard
SNP say power grab row will haunt Tories like poll tax as deadlock continues
SCOTTISH Secretary David Mundell’s insistence he will not compromise on the Brexit row is infuriating.
The Tories’ devo power grab on the Scottish Parliament is a constitutional outrage that cannot go unchallenged.
The consequences of the will of Holyrood being ignored will be great.
And while the SNP’s motivations are open to question, it’s worth remembering Labour and the Lib Dems are also opposed to the proposals.
There is still time for both governments to get together and find a solution. It’s what Scotland demands.
IAN Blackford last night claimed the Brexit power grab row will do more damage to the Tories than the poll tax – as the bitter deadlock over Scotland’s constitutional crisis rumbles on.
The Scottish and UK governments are at odds over the EU Withdrawal Bill and the issue boiled over last week when SNP MPs walked out of the Commons.
SNP Westminster leader Blackford will use a debate today to call for emergency legislation to prevent what Scots ministers view as a power grab.
But the UK Government yesterday insisted they will offer no new proposals.
Blackford fumed: “Scotland will not accept or forget the Tory Government’s smash-andgrab raid on the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament – it will haunt the Tories for a generation, just as the poll tax did.
“The UK Government must now come to the table with emergency legislation, not just more excuses that simply will not wash with the Scottish people.
“The UK Government’s behaviour is unprecedented, undemocratic and completely unacceptable – breaking the UK’s constitutional conventions, and ripping up Scotland’s devolution settlement.
“There will be no business as usual until this attack on devolution ends.
“Scotland will not be silenced and the SNP will do everything in our power to defend devolution and protect Scotland’s interests.”
Earlier, Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “There won’t be any new proposals. The Government set out its position in line with the existing constitutional settlement and at the heart of this ... is that the SNP don’t accept the existing constitutional settlement.”
THE Tories really do think they can do whatever they like to Scotland and get away with it.
Last week, they pressed ahead with their attack on Scottish devolution – railroading through a Bill that grabs powers from the Scottish Parliament and keeps them at Westminster.
Important powers over the environment, food standards, agriculture, fishing and other areas could be used at the whim of this right-wing Tory Government thanks to a clause in the EU Withdrawal Bill.
Worse still, they did this despite the Scottish Parliament explicitly rejecting consent, in an overwhelming vote of 93 to 30. Only the Scottish Tories shamefully voted to obey their Westminster masters, and allow the UK Government to rip up the devolution settlement that has been in place for 20 years.
The arrogant actions of Theresa May’s Government have now brought us to the point of constitutional crisis. It is outrageous for the Tories to just plough ahead without the consent of Holyrood – undermining devolution and ignoring the will of the Scottish people.
The Sewel Convention is clear that the UK Government cannot legislate without the consent of the Scottish Parliament on devolved matters. Consent was denied and, as a result, this power grab clause should never have even been considered at Westminster.
To add insult to injury, the Tories and Labour ensured that when the power grab was debated at Westminster, it only got 15 minutes – with the Tory minister taking up the entire time, and not a single Scottish MP given the chance to speak.
It was appalling but not surprising given how little respect there is for Scotland at Westminster – and how little
I SUPPORT the protesters demanding Jeremy Corbyn stops backing Brexit. People will not forgive Labour for backing a Tory hard Brexit that will destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs and hit the incomes, livelihoods and living standards of millions.
It’s time for Labour to put the interests of the country first and join the SNP in defending our membership of the single market and customs union.
regard the Tories have for devolution. Time and again over the years, the Tories have fought against the right of the Scottish people to govern ourselves – and now they are doing their best to undermine the devolution settlement we have.
Scotland has been silenced and shafted by Westminster but the SNP will fight tooth and nail to protect devolution and stand up for our national interests.
That’s why SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford used PMQs to call for emergency legislation to end the power grab – and when May refused, it’s why we demanded a vote to show we will not allow Westminster to disrespect the democratic will of the Scottish people.
When the Speaker refused to allow a vote, and disgracefully expelled Ian from the chamber for daring to ask that Scotland’s voice be heard, SNP MPs walked out in solidarity.
If Scotland can’t be heard in Westminster, we made damn sure we were heard outside – forcing the London media to pay attention to what was happening and putting the UK Government under pressure.
Today, the SNP have secured an emergency debate in Commons, where we will continue to push for emergency legislation to end the power grab.
While the Tories attack devolution, and Labour abstain, the SNP will use every avenue possible to fight Scotland’s corner and make our voice heard.