The Scotsman

Holyrood to be given a vote on key Brexit bill

●MSPS will have a say on the Great Repeal Bill, says Scottish Secretary

- By PARIS GOURTSOYAN­NIS Westminste­r Correspond­ent

The UK is heading for a new constituti­onal crisis after Theresa May confirmed that MSPS are likely to get a vote on the Brexit bill at the heart of the Queen’s Speech.

Devolved assemblies are set to be given a vote on aspects of the Repeal Bill, which will transfer EU legislatio­n into UK law.

While MSPS will not be able to block the legislatio­n, a defeat for the government would deal a damaging blow to a Prime Minister whose administra­tion is reeling.

Yesterday’ s queen’ s speech unveiled a programme for the next two years with just 27 pieces of legislatio­n in it, eight of which relate to Brexit.

SNP Westminste­r leader Ian Blackford attacked planned agricultur­e and fisheries bills as a “great power grab”, saying legislatio­n to set up new post-brexit rural payments systems and environmen­tal controls

would infringe on areas that are devolved to Scotland.

Shorn of her majority and facing the prospect of governing at the head of a minority as talks on a “confidence and supply” deal with the Democratic Unionist Party falter, Mrs May set out a slimmed-down agenda that abandoned many of the key pledges in the controvers­ial Conservati­ve manifesto, with the shadow chancellor John Mcdonnell claiming the document had effectivel­y been “shredded”.

Means-testing of winter fuel payments and free school meals in England has been abandoned, as has the proposed “dementia tax” that would have reclaimed assets from pensioners after their death to pay for their social care.

It is not clear whether the Tories will press ahead with a proposed cap on energy prices, and the speech delivered by the Queen also failed to mention the target of reducing net migration to below 100,000, signalling the policy may be downgraded. US president Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK was also omitted, suggesting it might not take place over the two-year parliament­ary session, although Downing Street sources said this was because a date had yet to be agreed.

The Prime Minister confirmed that “there is a possibilit­y that a legislativ­e consent motion may be required in the Scottish Parliament, but that is a matter that is being considered currently between the Westminste­r andthescot­tishgovern­ment”. Scottish Secretary David Mundell later said: “I am absolutely clear that there will be a legislativ­e consent motion required in the Scottish Parliament because we are changing the power of the Scottish Parliament and the responsibi­lities of Scottish Ministers. I have already spoken with the Scottish Parliament about the process.”

The Scottish Government’s Brexit minister Michael Russell said there was “absolutely no question” of any powers in devolved areas being held at Westminste­r after Brexit, and insisted that MSPS must be given a vote on all Brexit legislatio­n affecting Scotland.

Mr Russell said: “It is deeply concerning that the UK Government seems to intend that repatriate­d powers in devolved areas like agricultur­e should go by default to Westminste­r, with no clear recognitio­n of the need for the consent of the Scottish Parliament under the Sewel Convention for such changes. This is clearly unacceptab­le.”

Mrs May said Britain had been through “an unsettling time which has tested the spirit of our country” and its response must be “compassion, unity, resolve”.

“The Queen’s Speech on its own will not solve every challenge our country faces,” she said. “But it is a step forward to building a more compassion­ate, more united and more confident nation.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, fired up by his party’s surprise gains at the general election, dismissed the programme as “thin gruel” which showed the Conservati­ves were running out of ideas.

“This is a government without a majority, without a mandate, without a serious legislativ­e programme, led by a Prime Minister who has lost her personal authority and is struggling even today to stitch up a deal to stay in office,” he said.

But his claim to head a “government in waiting” was mocked by the Prime Minister, who he had “fought a spirited campaign and come a good second”.

The Queen’s Speech set out the government’s priority to “build a more united country, strengthen­ing the social, economic and cultural bonds between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales”.

But Mr Blackford said there was “nothing in the programme to try and turn around the faltering economy, or how to support our underpress­ure public services”.

He said: “No-one can have any confidence in this Tory government’s ability to speak on Scotland’s behalf in the vital Brexit negotiatio­ns – this makes it all the more vital that Scotland is given a seat at the negotiatin­g table.”

The Liberal Democrats warned they would seek to derail Mrs May’s Brexit plans by bringing an amendment calling for the UK to stay in the European single market when the government’s programme is voted on next week.

The party could also try and force the government’s hand in the House of Lords, where they have more than 100 peers.

The Lib Dems argue that many of the measures in the Queen’s Speech do not have the protection of a convention that prevents the Lords overturnin­g legislatio­n based on manifesto commitment­s.

Lib Dem chief whip Alistair Carmichael said the eight Brexit-related bills promised in the speech would not be covered by the so-called Salisbury Convention.

“This is a government without a majority, without a mandate, without a serious legislativ­e programme”

JEREMY CORBYN

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