UK Government launches court challenge against SNP’s bill

The constitutional conflict over Brexit has escalated with the UK Government launching a Supreme Court challenge against Holyrood legislation.

Theresa May’s top lawyer has referred rival laws on exiting the EU from the Scottish and Welsh administrations to the most senior judges in the country.

The SNP pushed its alternative to Westminster’s Withdrawal Bill through the Scottish Parliament last month amid a row over the destination of powers returning from Brussels.

Announcing the legal challenge to the Continuity Bill, the Attorney General Jeremy Wright, said: “This legislation risks creating serious legal uncertainty for individuals and businesses as we leave the EU.

“This reference is a protective measure which we are taking in the public interest.

“The (UK) Government very much hopes this issue will be resolved without the need to continue with this litigation”.

Scottish ministers say they were forced into delivering their own legislation because of the UK Government’s failure to protect devolution in its bill. They claim the Withdrawal Bill is a “power grab” on competences that are devolved.

A minority of the 111 returning powers need to be run initially from Westminster to protect the British single market, according to Tory ministers.