Constitutional crisis looms as MSPS prepare to reject UK’S Brexit Bill

● SNP, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens unite against plans ● Tories say blame for row lies ‘entirely with the SNP’

tecting the environment. I have said time and again it is unacceptable that the legislation gives the UK government the power to ban the Scottish Parliament from legislating on devolved areas for up to seven years without the parliament’s consent.”

Speaking at a Q&A event in London yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said the UK will prove it can’t be trusted with devolved powers after Brexit if it “carries on regardless” when the Scottish Parliament rejects the EU Withdrawal Bill today.

The First Minister said she would be “astonished” if MSPS do not refuse legislative consent for the bill.

“Much of the progress is intended to be in an agreement and we are being asked to take on trust quite a lot,” she said. “It strikes me that if the UK government decides to carry on regardless, then we were right not to take this on trust.” The First Minister told a business audience any kind of Brexit deal would advance the case for a second Scottish independence referendum, adding that she doesn’t believe independence “will ever be off the table until it’s a reality”.

The Tories have accused the SNP of using the row to agitate for independence. Tory constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins said: “It’s profoundly regrettable that we don’t have a deal in Scotland to allow us to move on. The blame for that lies entirely with the SNP. Nicola Sturgeon has refused to compromise. It’s not in Scotland’s interests that the SNP prefers picking fights to making a deal.”

And he made a late appeal to Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPS to back the LCM.

But Labour Brexit spokesman Neil Findlay said his party delivered the Scottish Parliament and is determined to “defend devolution”.

Mr Findlay said: “The problems with clause 15, formally clause 11, mean that Labour will vote against the principle of legislative consent for the EU Withdrawal Bill at Holyrood today.

“The Tories’ shambolic handling of this key area for Scotland is pushing the case towards the Supreme Court.”

Lib Dem Brexit Spokesman Tavish Scott added: “Liberal