Brexit: Will Nicola Sturgeon block Great Repeal Bill?

Sturgeon fears Westminster grab of EU powers

The Scottish Government issued a thinly-veiled threat to derail the Brexit process amid claims of a Westminster “power grab”.

UK ministers published a white paper for the Great Repeal Bill yesterday, which will transfer Brussels laws on to the British statute book.

Nicola Sturgeon fears Theresa May will withhold repatriated EU powers at Westminster, when the First Minister insists they should revert to Holyrood.

“That will be absolutely unacceptable,” she told MSPs, as she vented anger over the prospect of devolved farming and fisheries competencies being subject to a UK Government seizure.

Her official spokesman later gave a strong indication that MSPs would seek to block the Great Repeal Bill in a Holyrood vote.

Asked whether the First Minister would look to withhold consent for the Bill without assurances over where devolved EU powers end up, he said: “We have no intention of facilitating or enabling the removal of powers from this Parliament.”

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said earlier this year that it is “fair to anticipate” that Holyrood would be entitled to hold a formal vote on the Great Repeal Bill.

Known as a legislative consent motion, it is used where Westminster wishes to legislate on matters that are Holyrood’s responsibility. It is a political convention, enshrined in the Scotland Act 1998, which means Westminster can legally ignore the result, although there would be political implications.

Theresa May said this week it is expected Brexit will lead to a “significant increase” in Holyrood’s powers.

A UK Government source said some administrative and regulatory aspects of agriculture and fisheries may have to be controlled by Westminster to “protect the single market of the UK”.

That would ensure there is no restriction of the movement of livestock over the border, for example.

A UK Government spokeswoman said: “We have published a White Paper on the Great Repeal Bill.

“The legislation itself will be brought forward at a later date.

“The final content of the bill will determine the process to take it forward.”

Picture: Stuart Nicol. A relaxed Nicola Sturgeon signs a letter to Theresa May formally requesting a second Scottish independence referendum. The Scottish Government tweeted a picture of the First Minister with her feet up on a couch in her Bute House residence writing the...