Lochaber MP focuses on Brexit at SNP conference

Ian Blackford MP delivered his address to delegates at last week’s SNP spring conference, with a focus on Brexit and the budget.

From the podium, the MP for Lochaber, Ross and Skye said: ‘Just a year ago the public went to the polls with the promise of better and more stable government from Theresa May. What materialised could not be further from the truth and she has delivered absolutely nothing but further uncertainty and insecurity.

‘The Tories think they can do anything they want to Scotland and get away with it … And still Theresa May’s government continues to drag us down the catastrophic course of a hard Brexit, bluntly ignoring the will of the Scottish people. Yet, the Prime Minister expects us in Scotland to simply take her word for it that her party has Scotland’s interests at its core.

‘A hard Tory Brexit will cost up to 80,000 jobs in Scotland. A UK Government analysis revealed that GDP in Scotland could take a crippling hit of nine per cent with a no deal Brexit. The Tories are not acting in Scotland’s interests – in fact they are against them.’

Mr Blackford said he believes some devolved powers are now at risk. He continued: ‘It is completely unacceptable that devolved powers over farming, fishing and the environment, among others, are at risk of being stolen away from Scotland back to Westminster. I can confirm that the SNP Westminster group has tabled amendments to the legislation absolutely rejecting the power grab clause.

‘We will work with colleagues across the Commons to reject the Tory government’s attempted veto on our parliament. We are now in uncharted territory.’