‘Even the possibility of Johnson
● Davidson urges MPS to accept a Brexit deal ● Says upholding the law is a ‘basic tenet’ of government
Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has claimed that people feel missold over Brexit and that it is “astonishing” there is a possibility the Prime Minister may break the law and not ask for an Article 50 extension if no deal is reached with the European Union.
Ms Davidson, who stood down as leader two months ago, also said MPS needed to back a deal if one is put before Parliament, as crashing out was “not in anyone’s interests”.
The Edinburgh Central MSP, who yesterday helped launched a new fundraising campaign for the mineclearing charity, the HALO Trust, revealed she would be interested in working in international aid when she stands down from Parliament at the 2021 elections.
Asked about the Brexit minefield and whether she believed Boris Johnson would abide by the Benn Act, she said: “I think it’s astonishing we’re even asking the question.”
The Court of Session yesterday said that it would reconvene later in October if Mr Johnson failed to strike a deal with the EU and also failed to then ask for a Brexit extension as laid down by the law passed by MPS just before he unlawfully prorogued Parliament.
Ms Davidson added: “Governmentshavesomebasictenets which should never need to be spoken, of which respecting, upholding and promoting the rule of law is one. Defence of the realm is the second, and promoting community cohesion is the third, to make sure we’re a harmonious country, and from that flows all the other things governments should do. This is what governments of grown-up western democracies do.”
Refusing to make a prediction on Brexit, as she had previously been “wrong”, she added: “Even though my side lost, I believe loser’s consent is important, so I think it’s important that if a decision has been put to the country you’ve got to listen to what the country comes back with, so I think Brexit will happen.
“However, part of that Brexit campaign was we were told there would be a logical sequence to these things, international agreements, a velvet divorce if you like, and the idea there won’t be those under-pinning agreements has people feeling that they were mis-sold and I agree with them.”
Ms Davidson said that she would still be happy with Theresa May’s deal if it was brought back to Westminster for a fourth time, or a new deal from Mr Johnson as “it’s not likely to be anything wildly different”.
She added: “I think politicians from all parties in the House of Commons need to look at what the options are, and back that deal. It might not be all they wanted and will require compromise but let’s not make perfect the enemy of the good, because the other option is falling out without a deal that’s not in anyone’s interests.”
Ms Davidson refused to be drawn on who should permanently replace her as leader of her party, saying she would “get behind who the new leader is”.
The MSP was speaking at ESMS, one of Edinburgh’s largest private schools, where the HALO Trust was giving pupils a hands-on experience of using detectors in a dummy mine field in the school grounds, to show the dangers faced by children in Zimbabwe as they walk to school.
She has previously been to Afghanistan with the charity, which is the largest nongovernment organisation in Scotland, with 9,000 staff in 26 countries around the world. It has plans to clear 105,600 square metres of land in Zimbabwe over the next 12 months.
And she said that the work of international aid was attractive to her in terms of a post-political career. She has recently said she was not likely to stand at the next Holyrood elections.
“I would absolutely love to be more involved in some of the work that goes on overseas,” she said. “The UK has an enormous, amazing story to tell in terms of its aid development work around the world. We are the single largest educator of girls anywhere in the world, in countries where it’s not traditional for girls to have schooling.
“I would love to get into it, but not while my child is of school age. Thereafter yes, it’s something I’d love to do.”