SNP would pass Brexit bill in return for seat at the table, MP suggests

The SNP may be persuaded to wave through the government’s key Brexit bills at the Scottish Parliament in return for a seat at the negotiations with Brussels, the party’s Westminster leader has indicated.

Ian Blackford said Prime Minister Theresa May must change her attitude to the devolved nations and embrace a “spirit of compromise” if she hoped to win support for her Brexit legislation from Holyrood and the other UK devolved administrations.

His intervention came 0 Ian Blackford says that a spirit of compromise is the key after Scotland’s Brexit Minister, Michael Russell, said the SNP would seek to derail the Repeal Bill if it proposes returning any powers currently administered by Holyrood to Westminster.

Mrs May has admitted that the bill, which will repatriate thousands of EU laws from Brussels back to the UK, is likely to require a Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) from the devolved administrations in order to proceed.

The Scottish Parliament has never refused to grant an LCM in the 18 years since it was created. Although it could ultimately be overruled by the government, such a scenario is likely to trigger a serious constitutional clash.

“I think it is right – and many people have said this – that the Scottish Government should be represented at the talks in Brussels,” Mr Blackford said.