Sturgeon to meet Barnier as Repeal Bill unveiled

Nicola Sturgeon will put the Scottish Government’s views on Brexit directly to the EU’S chief negotiator when she meets Michel Barnier in Brussels today.

Mr Barnier will meet the First Minister, as well as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones, to “listen to different points of view” on the UK’S exit from the European Union.

Mr Barnier said he was meeting the trio “at their request” and stressed that negotiations would only be held with the UK government.

It comes as a bill that will form the cornerstone of legislation to enact Brexit is introduced at Westminster. Brexit Secretary David Davis said the Repeal Bill, which will transfer EU regulations into British law, was “one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through parliament”.

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford demanded assurances that the bill would not result in additions to schedule 5 of the Scotland Act, which sets out the powers that are reserved to Westminster.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the next round of Brexit talks on Monday, Mr Barnier also rebuked Boris Johnson over his claim that Brussels could “go whistle” if it insists on a multi-billionpound “divorce bill”. Asked about the comment, the EU chief negotiator said: “I’m not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking.”

A spokesman for the First Minister said the meeting with Mr Barnier was “not about holding separate Scottish negotiations” but was “an opportunity to brief Mr Barnier on Scotland’s priorities”, including membership of the European single market.