Looming closer, never-ending Covid powers for ministers
Bill allowing lockdowns at ANY time poised to clear Holyrood vote
A LAW allowing SNP ministers to introduce lockdowns and close schools at any time is on course to pass its first hurdle today, despite opposition parties uniting against it.
Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have said they will oppose the plan to permanently extend Covid-19 powers, which has been branded a ‘power grab’.
The Scottish Government last night said it was ‘vital’ it gets the legal powers to deal with any future public health threat.
Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP will win a majority in today’s stage one vote in the Scottish parliament if it secures the support of its Green coalition partner. The proposals have sparked huge public opposition amid claims they could breach human rights.
Murdo Fraser, Covid recovery spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said: ‘The Scottish Conservatives remain resolutely opposed to what is a blatant and unnecessary power grab by SNP ministers. To make permanent what were emergency and extraordinary powers transfers control from parliament to government, and we can’t support that.
‘Those SNP MSPs who value accountable and democratic government must stand up to ministers and join opposition parties in opposing this overreach.’
The powers – which allow for the introduction of lockdowns, the closure of schools and the release of prisoners – will be available to tackle Covid-19 or any other infectious disease or contamination.
The results of a Scottish Government consultation showed 85 per cent of respondents were opposed to ministers permanently having
‘Blatant power grab by the SNP’
powers to close schools and 86 per cent opposed to wider lockdown powers remaining in place.
Scottish Labour Covid recovery spokesman Jackie Baillie said: ‘This Bill represents a blatant power grab on behalf of the SNP government which threatens the balance of power in our democratic system. We cannot allow this government to use the experience of the pandemic to centralise and monopolise power.’
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: ‘Parliament should not be handing the keys to ministers to make decisions affecting everything from school closure to the mass release of prisoners behind closed doors. Scottish Liberal Democrats will be voting against this SNP power grab.’
Scotland’s children’s commissioner Bruce Adamson has also raised concerns that the Coronavirus Recovery and Reform Bill may be unlawful and would be open to challenge in the courts for breaching children and families’ rights.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Ministers welcome the Covid-19 recovery committee’s report endorsing the general principles of the Bill, following on from other constructive committee reports. The Government has carefully considered this feedback and the Deputy First Minister will set out our response to parliament in the stage one debate.’