The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Holyrood expected to be overruled after key vote
Scottish Parliament denies consent for UK Government’s Withdrawal Bill
Holyrood faces being overruled by Westminster after MSPS last night refused to support key Brexit legislation.
The Scottish Parliament voted to deny consent for the UK Government’s Withdrawal Bill, which transfers Brussels laws on to domestic statute books.
All Holyrood parties except the Scottish Conservatives rejected the Downing Street plan to hold some returning devolved powers at Westminster.
But the British and Scottish administrations said there is still the opportunity to strike a deal.
Brexit Secretary Michael Russell said Conservative ministers want to “muzzle” the Scottish Parliament with their “power grab”.
“They want to drown out what this parliament says,” he told MSPS.
“But not even they can pretend that no motion has been passed.”
MSPS supported a motion to deny consent by 93 votes to 30 last night.
Scottish Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins said: “The SNP has taken the wrong path today.
“It’s deeply disappointing that the leaders of Labour and the Lib Dems have helped them do it.”
The Withdrawal Bill covers devolved areas so requires the approval of Holyrood, under a legally enshrined convention of the devolution settlement.
However, the Scotland Act maintains that Westminster is sovereign and can override refusal in circumstances that are not “normal”. Westminster has never previously ploughed on with legislating in devolved areas without holy rood’ s consent.
Ahead of the vote, Scottish Secretary David Mundell refused to be drawn on whether UK ministers would do that.
The Tory MP said: “We remain hopeful that the Scottish Government will still come on board. Even at this late stage our door remains open.”
Mr Russell said the UK Government can break the deadlock by removing the clause in the Bill “that fundamentally undermines devolution and to proceed on the basis of agreement”.
Neil Findlay, Scottish Labour’s Brexit spokesman, said: “The people of Scotland want this mess fixed and even after this vote there is still time to do that.”
The Bill goes before the Lords today ahead of its return to the Commons for final voting.
It must be at least five minutes since our last constitutional crisis so keen political commentators will no doubt be delighted to know another is brewing. Not surprisingly the Scottish Parliament is refusing to give formal consent for Theresa May’s EU withdrawal bill.
Though not binding, the refusal will likely result in Westminster pushing through legislation against the wishes of the Scottish Parliament for the first time.
That will doubtless trigger yet more heated disagreements.
Without any kind of amicable solution in sight, it is hard to greet news of this fresh twist in the Brexit saga with anything other than a weary sigh.
Once again, the issue is being used as a political football. Rather than offering any potential opportunity for meaningful progress we see our politicians engaging in the kind of mud-slinging that does the public no favours.
The decision to leave the EU was hugely controversial and, just as with the Scottish independence referendum, the result was never likely to be meekly accepted by the losing side. However, it is incumbent upon our elected members – no matter which side of the political divide they occupy – to seek the best possible outcome for us all.
It could easily be argued that the current impasse is in nobody’s best interest.
As with so much that has gone before it since the EU referendum, progress is conspicuous only by its absence.