Barclay insists ‘spirit of devolution’ has been respected

THE UK Government said it respects “the spirit and the letter of the devolution settlement” as it presses ahead with Brexit without consent from the devolved administrations.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said that despite the Sewel Convention holding that the UK Government should “not normally” press ahead without devolved administrations’ consent, the circumstances of Brexit are “specific, singular and exceptional”.

Earlier this month, MSPs at Holyrood voted by 92 votes to 29 to reject Mr Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill, while Welsh First Minister Mark

Drakeford has urged AMs to vote it down when it comes to the Senedd.

Under the devolution agreement, legislative consent is required for issues affecting devolved policy areas. In practice, however, the UK Government can proceed against the will of the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish administrations.

Writing to Scotland’s Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell, Mr Barclay insisted: “we have at every stage respected the spirit and the letter of the devolution settlement.”

In a letter to Welsh Brexit Minister Jeremy Miles, Mr Barclay said: “I hope that you will revise your recommendation and support this Bill. It allows us to respect the result of the referendum, in which the people of Wales voted to leave the EU, to move on to focus on other priorities and at the same time bring the country together.”