Protest against power grab

Mike Masson, Alder Tree Road, Banchory, Aberdeenshire SIR, – The Westminster “Power Grab” has now demonstrated a more sinister character in the UK’s so-called democratic parliament. The treatment meted out to the SNP MPs, and by implication to the Scottish Government also, during the debate on the Withdrawal Bill last week was unfair and disrespectful to us as a nation.

The exclusion of Ian Blackford by the Speaker was unnecessary and wilful. The leader of the SNP Parliamentary Group was within his rights to call for a Private Sitting considering all that had gone before, both on Tuesday and Wednesday. He and they had been unable to speak in the 15 minutes allotted to debate. The PM’s reply to his question at PMQs was irrelevant and derisory. Eighty devolved powers going back to Holyrood do not make up for the 25 that will be “parked” at Westminster for many years to come. Matters of fishing and farming are particularly crucial for Scotland. Westminster MUST release its intended stranglehold. The walk-out was no stunt; it was a brave united protest.

Ian Blackford was right to insist in his BBC interview that more will follow in the SNP’s determination to have the Scottish Government’s “refusal to consent” respected and honoured. It is to be hoped that the devious and scheming Tory government at Westminster will lose the fight – or fall!

Kenneth Gordon (Rev Canon), Reidford Gardens, Drumoak,

Banchory, Aberdeenshire