Davidson tells PM to get Holyrood on board over powers
RUTH Davidson yesterday made a direct plea to Theresa May about the importance of securing Holyrood’s support for her key Brexit legislation.
The Scottish Conservative leader met the Prime Minister in Downing Street for crunch talks about Brexit amid an ongoing stand-off with Nicola Sturgeon, who claims the so-called Repeal Bill is a ‘power grab’.
On Sunday, Scottish Tory constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins said there is a ‘political requirement’ that the support of MSPs is secured before the EU Withdrawal Bill is passed.
It is understood Miss Davidson shares his view that Holyrood’s consent is crucial – and made the point directly to Mrs May.
A Tory source said: ‘She reiterated the point about the political need to ensure we get agreement. The UK Government from the Prime Minister down understands that they want to make sure they get support for their proposals.’
Last week, it emerged changes to ‘clause 11’ of the EU Withdrawal Bill, which deals with devolution arrangements, will be delayed until the legislation enters the House of Lords because the UK Government missed a deadline for amendments.
It is the key stumbling block for the SNP Government, and the First Minister has insisted that she cannot recommend that MSPs support the legislation unless the clause is changed.
At the weekend, Mr Tomkins said: ‘Legislative consent is not a legal requirement for this legislation to be enacted by Westminster but it probably is a political requirement and the political price of enacting legislation without consent might be quite significant indeed.
‘If this legislation falls then it is going to be very difficult to deliver Brexit at all, so the stakes are really quite high.’
Following yesterday’s meeting, Miss Davidson said: ‘We need to make sure that when the powers currently held by Brussels are returned after Brexit, two things happen.
‘Firstly, that they come back as close to the people of Scotland as possible, but also that they are delivered in a way which protects our own UK internal market, which is so important for Scottish businesses.
‘It’s clear to me that the UK Government and the Scottish Government are making real progress in delivering a deal that’s right for Scotland.
‘These are complex matters but with goodwill and hard work there is every reason to believe we can deliver a deal supported by everyone.’
The EU Withdrawal Bill is due to begin its final stage in the House of Commons today, but changes to clause 11 will not now be introduced until the House of Lords stage.
Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird and shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer have written to Scotland’s Tory MPs urging them to vote for Labour’s amendment, which seeks to ‘protect and enhance the devolution settlements that many people fought so hard to create’.
Miss Laird said: ‘The EU Withdrawal Bill as it stands drives a coach and horses through the devolution settlement. That is simply unacceptable.
‘The Bill can still be changed before it goes to the House of Lords – Labour’s amendment today can fix these problems.’