SNP to bring motion of censure against Boris Johnson, Ian Blackford reveals to conference
The SNP is to table a motion of censure against the Prime Minister tomorrow in a bid to act as “the real opposition”.
Westminster leader Ian Blackford revealed the move in an address to the party’s online conference yesterday, in which he condemned the Boris Johnson’s “omnibus of omnishambles”.
Referencing corruption, cuts to Universal Credit, Brexit and Mr Johnson’s speech to the CBI conference, Mr Blackford said the current situation is “deeply worrying”.
“In the absence of actions from others in holding this Prime Minister to account, it is once again our job to act as the real opposition,” he said.
“On Tuesday, the SNP will use our opposition day to put down a motion of censure against this Prime Minister.
“Because unless this Prime Minister is censured, unless he faces consequences for his disastrous actions, he won’t just think he’s gotten away with the mess he has made of the last few months, he will think he can do it all over again.”
Mr Johnson is becoming “deeper and deeper out of his depth”, Mr Blackford said, and is now presiding over a “damaging and dangerous” governance of Downing Street.
A motion of censure is a rarely-used device, last tabled by Labour against Theresa May in December 2018.
Even if passed, the motion would not be able to bring down a government.
Mr Blackford went on to accuse the Tories of “deliberate corruption”, saying in Mr Johnson's time as Prime Minister there had been “a cash for honours scandal, a cash for contracts scandal, a text for tax breaks scandal” and even a “cash for curtains scandal”.
The SNP Westminster leader insisted: “Scotland must have the chance to escape that crippling corruption. Because with independence we can do so much better than this.”
Since the 2014 independence referendum – in which Scots voted to stay part of the UK – he said “the stability of the status quo, the stability of the United Kingdom, has systematically fallen apart”.
Mr Blackford added: “For years now, what we are experiencing is a United Kingdom in constant crisis.”
In contrast to this, he argued: “Independence is now the pathway to safety and stability – it offers an escape from the constant crisis of Westminster control.
“Built on the solid foundations of our own democratic decisions, independence offers the opportunity to build the post-pandemic future we all wish to see.
“The chance to build a new Scotland that finally takes its natural place amongst the nations of the world."
That independent Scotland is “within our grasp”, he told SNP supporters, insisting that Mr Johnson “cannot deny democracy” and continue to block a second vote on the future of the UK
Following the party's election victory in May's Scottish Parliament elections, Mr Blackford insisted: “The democratic right to a referendum is secure and our First Minister will lead us through that campaign.
“Our independence movement has faced a long road, but journey's end is now in sight.”
However, Mr Blackford’s speech came after a former minister accused the SNP of showing “no sign” of any original thinking or hard work to achieve independence.
Alex Neil, a government minister under the premierships of both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, said the party had to “put flesh on the bones” of its plans for Scotland to become independent.
Speaking to The Scotsman’s sister title Scotland on Sunday, Mr Neil warned that the SNP must do more than “shout” about independence.
He suggested the party pursue an “alternative strategy” towards independence if the UK Government will not grant powers for another referendum, and argued they could achieve a “mandate for independence” by winning a majority of votes and seats at the next general election.
He said: “It’s not enough just to shout ‘Independence, independence, independence’; we've got to put flesh on the bones of the argument.
“That means spelling out in detail the answers to questions on currency, economic policy, the oil and gas industry, and our trading relationships.
“It’s not just a case of updating the White Paper (from the 2014 referendum). It needs to be completely rewritten. My concern… is that there is no sign of that hard work and original thinking being done, despite the fact we need to do that to have any chance of success next time round.”
Meanwhile, a former deputy leader of the SNP criticised the party for having said “nothing of substance” on independence during its annual conference.
After a speech by Deputy First Minister John Swinney declaring that Scots must “stand up and be counted” to protect devolution from a corrupt Westminster Government, Jim Sillars said: “John could not set the political heather on fire with a can of petrol and a lighted torch.”
Addressing the SNP conference on Saturday, Mr Swinney insisted “the only way to keep
the gains of devolution is by becoming independent”, and suggested the Conservatives have “lost all moral authority to hold the highest offices”.
Accusing the Tories of having "contempt for Scotland's democratic Parliament", he suggested decisions made at Holyrood “can be routinely undermined at a whim by the Tories”.
In a virtual speech to the conference, Mr Swinney said: “All of us who care so deeply about the Scottish Parliament and its role in Scottish public life need to stand up and be counted before it is too late. We are now seeing a concerted attack on our Parliament, from the very people who fought tooth and nail against it being established in the first place.”