Powers should come to Scotland
ALL-OUT war on devolution. That is effectively what Prime Minister Theresa May announced at the Scottish Tory Party conference.
This was not just an attack on the SNP or the Yes movement’s aspiration for independence.
It was an attack on the Scottish Parliament as it was established by Donald Dewar, the Father of Devolution.
The way he drew up the Scotland Act was similar to “Home Rule” Bills dating back to the time of Keir Hardie.
The Bill “reserved” certain powers to Westminster, and listed them in a part called “schedule five”. These included pensions, foreign policy and defence.
Everything not mentioned in schedule five was effectively devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
So new areas of government business, as they emerged, automatically fell to Scotland.
Climate change and the control of carbon emissions are good examples of things that have only come to the fore since 1998.
Because they don’t appear in schedule five, they are a Scottish responsibility.
Farming, fishing and the environment do not appear in schedule five.
But they have always been considered a Scottish responsibility. They have their policy framework set at European level although in practice, the Scottish Government still have a good deal of power.
One example – we pay “less favoured area” support to our hill farmers. This has been ended in England.
Anyway, throughout the European Union referendum debate, the Leave campaign claimed that all these powers would automatically come back to Scotland.
Now the Tories are claiming the powers will go to them at Westminster and they will “decide” whether to pass them on.
This is a direct challenge to the Scotland Act.
Labour politicians I have spoken to in Wales are furious that the same attack is being mounted on their assembly.
They want all the powers not reserved to go to Cardiff.
Everyone who cared about devolution and Donald Dewar’s legacy should demand these powers come to Scotland.