A victory for liberty! SNP has to water down its ‘forever’ Covid laws

Backlash prompts rethink over powers

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to introduce the permanent power to impose lockdowns and close schools has been watered down by SNP ministers following a public backlash.

Covid Recovery Secretary John Swinney finally responded to wide-ranging concerns about his legislation by announcing changes which require a vote in parliament before the powers are used.

Opposition parties say the new Bill is still a ‘power grab’ despite the changes – and vowed to oppose it.

But it passed its first stage at Holyrood as SNP and Green MSPs united to back it despite opposition from Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

The Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) Scotland Bill will allow for the introduction of lockdowns, the closure of schools and the release of prisoners to tackle Covid-19 or any other infectious disease or contamination

Announcing the changes yesterday, Mr Swinney insisted that so-called ‘Henry VIII powers’, which allow ministers to modify primary legislation through health protection regulations, are still ‘appropriate’.

However, he said he would introduce amendments to mean ‘parliamentary approval must be in place before any modification to primary legislation takes place’.

In a statement to MSPs, he said: ‘The Bill provisions as introduced did not strike the right balance between having the legislative framework we need and the necessary level of parliamentary oversight.’

He said parliament would need to approve the use of the powers in a ‘gateway vote’.

The Bill was passed by 65 votes to 53.

Murdo Fraser, Covid Recovery spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, branded the Bill a ‘power grab’ by the SNP Government.

He said: ‘I recognise that some concessions have been made but nevertheless this Bill will still be on the statute book, it still represents a shift of power away from parliament to government and the trigger methods proposed would still not give parliament the opportunity to amend this legislation if it came before parliament as and when required.

‘So we still have reservations about it and we will see what stakeholders say about it.’

He added: ‘To make permanent what were emergency and extraordinary powers passes control from parliament to the Government. It represents a power grab on the part of SNP ministers.’

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: ‘The SNP are pushing through a Bill that would have serious and long-term consequences.’

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said his party would not support the Bill, claiming it would ‘represent a permanent transfer from parliament to the executive, undermining democracy’.

‘Long-term consequences’