Changes to Brexit Bill will satisfy Holyrood, say Tories

AMENDMENTS to Theresa May’s key Brexit legislation will appease the SNP, the Scottish Conservatives insisted yesterday.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said changes to the EU Withdrawal Bill would be enough to secure the support of the Scottish parliament.

His colleague, Adam Tomkins, said ‘it is time for action’ to end the long-running dispute over First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s claims that the legislation is a ‘power grab’.

The comments came during a Holyrood debate led by the finance and constitution committee, which has said the legislation will not be approved by MSPs in its current form.

Mr Fraser said: ‘As my colleague Adam Tomkins has made clear previously, the Scottish Conservatives are disappointed the necessary amendments to clause 11 could not be made in the Commons, and we are determined to see

‘The political will is certainly there’

that rectified in the Lords. The political will is certainly there to see it happen.

‘It is now over to the UK Government to work with the Scottish Government to ensure that the necessary amendments are made to allow legislative consent to be granted.’

Scottish Labour Brexit spokesman Neil Findlay said the Tories had ‘failed miserably’ to come up with changes before the Bill left the Commons.

Changes are due to be made in the coming weeks as the Bill enters the House of Lords.

The UK Government will set out more detail about how ‘common frameworks’ will apply across the UK in devolved areas, as well as which areas will be fully controlled by the Scottish parliament.

SNP Brexit Minister Mike Russell said: ‘The Scottish Government still aims to agree amendments to the Bill with the UK Government that would allow legislative consent to be brought to this chamber and passed.

‘But the Government also has to prepare for the possibility of consent being withheld.’