The Herald on Sunday

SNP accuses May of cover-up on Scotland and Brexit

- BY ANDREW WHITAKER

THE SNP has accused the UK Government of attempting to hide documents setting out the views of Theresa May and Brexit Secretary David Davis on Nicola Sturgeon’s plan to keep Scotland in the single market.

The UK Government’s Brexit department has refused to release correspond­ence between Davis and May on the “Scotland’s Place in Europe” proposals from Sturgeon.

A UK Government response to a Freedom of Informatio­n response says the informatio­n cannot be published as it may “prejudice relations between any administra­tion in the UK and any other such administra­tion”.

Sturgeon’s plan stated that devolving powers from Westminste­r to Holyrood over areas such as immigratio­n, business regulation and employment rights would allow Scotland to remain in the single market, with responsibi­lities transferre­d to Edinburgh.

The SNP said the UK Government’s refusal to publish the correspond­ence between May and Davis showed they were seeking to keep their conversati­ons secret or not taking Sturgeon’s proposals seriously.

An SNP spokespers­on said: “The SNP Government has put forward compromise proposals to keep Scotland in the single market – which is around eight times bigger than the UK’s alone – but this response suggests the UK Government either aren’t seriously discussing these proposals or want to keep their thoughts secret. There is no excuse for the Tories not to match the SNP in compromisi­ng – especially now that we know from a leaked European Parliament memo that Brussels is very open to discussing a special deal for Scotland, even if the rest of the UK leaves the single market.”

However, a UK Government spokespers­on said it regularly shared informatio­n with representa­tives of the devolved administra­tions at the Joint Ministeria­l Council (JMC). The UK Government spokespers­on said: “Far from withholdin­g informatio­n, we are exchanging our latest thinking and analysis with the Scottish Government through the monthly JMC process and have made clear the proposals in the Scottish Government’s paper will be carefully considered as we form our negotiatin­g position.”

 ??  ?? Prime Minister Theresa May Photograph: Jens Dresling/Polfoto via AP
Prime Minister Theresa May Photograph: Jens Dresling/Polfoto via AP

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