BACKLASH OVER SNP ‘THREATS’
Mundell condemns the ‘guerrilla tactics’ of Nationalists trying to sabotage Brexit plans
‘They were not for compromising’ ‘Dereliction of a democratic role’
NATIONALIST politicians are planning more action to sabotage Theresa May’s Brexit plans after they dramatically walked out of the House of Commons.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said yesterday his party would take ‘whatever action is necessary’ to cause problems for the UK Government and ‘frustrate’ what it is doing.
He also signalled the SNP could try to thwart the UK Government’s Trade Bill.
In addition, SNP Brexit Minister Michael Russell demanded that the party gets a role in UK trade negotiations with other countries and the EU.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said yesterday he was concerned by the Nationalists’ ‘veiled threats’ about causing disruption.
He condemned the use of ‘guerrilla tactics’ and said the people of Scotland expect their two governments to work together.
Nationalist MPs were accused of carrying out a ‘self-indulgent stunt’ by walking out of Westminster on Wednesday in a protest over an obscure procedural point.
Mr Blackford was ordered from the chamber during Prime Minister’s Questions after refusing to sit down while arguing with Speaker John Bercow – prompting his fellow Nationalist MPs to follow him out the door.
On BBC Radio Scotland yesterday, Mr Blackford said: ‘Together with my colleagues in government in Edinburgh there will be a very robust defence of our parliamentary democracy, our parliamentary sovereignty and the rights of the Scottish people.
‘I will make sure we can frustrate as much as we possibly can what the Government are doing. We will remain civil, we will remain polite, we will remain courteous but they need to understand that a line has now been crossed and the Conservatives are enacting legislation without the support of the Scottish parliament, with lack of consent. We are now in different territory.’
Mr Blackford also claimed that the Tories had sparked a ‘constitutional crisis’ by not allowing a longer debate on the devolution aspects of the EU Withdrawal Bill.
In the House of Commons, Mr Mundell insisted that the UK Government’s actions had not breached the Sewel Convention, which states the UK Parliament has the authority to legislate on any issue, devolved or not, but will ‘not normally’ do so in devolved areas without the consent of the Scottish parliament.
He said: ‘It is vital that the Scottish Government and the UK Government should continue to work together, and I have been perturbed over the past 48 hours by the veiled threats from the Scottish Government that they would somehow withdraw from such dis- cussions. These are vitally important, and the people of Scotland expect their two Governments to work together.’
He told MPs the SNP Government was to blame for failing to strike a deal over the EU Withdrawal Bill, saying: ‘They were not for moving, they were not for compromising, they were not for changing.’
Mr Mundell also said: ‘After yesterday, I am not taking any lessons from the Right Hon. gentleman on dignity. However, we have at least had some clarification on what guerrilla tactics are going to be used in this Parliament…’
He added: ‘I actually respect the fact that he opposes Brexit. He is perfectly entitled to do that, but he is not entitled to ignore the views of the more than one million people in Scotland who voted for Brexit but who the SNP want to airbrush out of history. Nor is he entitled to ignore the result of the referendum across the United Kingdom as a whole. It is therefore incumbent on this Government to deliver Brexit, and that is what we will do.’
The UK Government’s Trade Bill is due to return to the Commons next month, but some aspects are widely expected to require Holyrood’s consent, raising the prospect of another stand-off. Asked if the Bill would be his ‘next target’, Mr Blackford said: ‘Well there are concerns we have with the Trade Bill.’ Mr Russell said: ‘The way in which the UK and devolved administrations approach international trade policy and agreements will have to change radically to reflect a very different, and more challenging, context.’
Hitting back at claims the Withdrawal Bill was a Westminster ‘power grab’, Tory MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Andrew Bowie said: ‘Due to the legislation we passed this week, 120 extra powers will be going to Holyrood. This is going to enhance the devolution settlement, not in any way restrict it.’
He added: ‘By walking out of the chamber in a pre-prepared parliamentary stunt he [Mr Blackford] actually gave up the opportunity to hold the Government to account and actually have a debate about the very issue he is complaining he hasn’t had a debate on.’
Scotland Office Minister Lord Duncan of Springbank said: ‘It was a dereliction of a democratic role.’
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