There’s no crisis
Can we try to get this nonsense about a constitutional crisis into some perspective please?
The UK leaving the EU had implications for 111 areas of legislation, and nearly 80 percent of those will now bed evolved directly to the Scottish parliament. Of the remainder, there are aspects which do need to be considered at a wider UK level.
If you area farmer or business trading south of the Border, you will want this fully considered. We know that data, pollution, GMOS and many other issues do not respect borders, and therefore appropriate management at a wider level is required.
The SNP is a nationalist party aiming to undermine the UK. I do not believe they are simply being awkward here to try and precipitate another independence referendum, because it is not obvious they even want that to happen at the moment.
They are simply having to be seen to be doing something to make themselves relevant to their supporters, and they are struggling to make an impact in any other way. I don’t think anyone is surprised by their tactics in this.
The problem we have at the moment is the Labour Party in Scotland and the Liberal Democrats, and I say that as a member of the latter. The Labour Party are putting their hatred of the Tories above everything else. The Lib Dems are campaigning to stay in the EU and everything they do is focused to that end.
But by voting with the SNP, they are disregarding the rationale for having a United Kingdom in the first place, namely that some functions are better implemented at this wider level. Voting with the SNP on this matter will not change the outcome of all this one iota, but they will have undermined their credibility among t heir own members and key activists.
If you triangulate with the SNP, you are simply cutting your own throat. Surely the Labour Party and Scottish Lib Dems should have worked that one out by now? The old truism still holds, if you know something can bite you, don’t let it lick you. VICTOR CLEMENTS
Taybridge Terrace Aberfeldy, Perthshire It will be interesting to see how this “disagreement” between Westminster and Holy rood plays out in the Supreme Court.
It could be that when Donald Dewar and Tony Blair designed the Scotland Act, the civil service failed to take into consideration that powers might come back from the EU at some future date. Hence the issue was not covered in the Act.
It could be that the Supreme Court will find that there was never an intent that the disputed powers would be transferred to devolved administrations should they return, as is now the case. They will probably also affirm that the UK Parliament is supreme in such matters. The absurdity of the whole affair, from a practical point of view, is that there is agreement that common UK policies are required in some areas, but the SNP, supported by all parties bar the Scottish Conservatives, apparently wants to retain the decision powers by being able to apply a veto.
If the SNP ever gets a referendum again and succeeds, it is likely that they will gladly hand back all those powers to the EU as part of becoming a full member. So what is the fuss about the Welsh Government issuing its consent to the wording of the current Westminster bill? One wonders.
JOHN PETER Monks Road, Airdrie