Power Grab

Scotland’s Parliament is under attack from Westminster.

In a blatant ‘power grab’, Westminster is using Brexit, through the EU Withdrawal Bill, as an excuse to undermine and diminish the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

As agreed in the Devolution settlement, all powers, over which the Scottish Parliament has jurisdiction, require the consent of the Scottish Parliament to be changed: this would include the one hundred and eleven powers currently held by the EU which should automatically return to Scotland when the UK leaves the EU.

The Conservative Government at Westminster, however, unilaterally decided that, instead of returning these powers to Scotland, all of them would be returned to Westminster.  

Following pressure from the Scottish Government, Westminster offered a compromise and is willing to settle for all but a few of these powers returning directly to Scotland.

As Nicola Sturgeon stated in FMQ’s today, however, this is not about compromise: a fundamental issue of principle is at stake – the latest proposals from the UK Government would involve consultation with the Scottish Parliament around issues that are part of the Scottish Parliament’s responsibility.

Nicola Sturgeon is correct when she says that consultation is not enough, it should be the consent of the Scottish Parliament that is required.

Until the UK Government agrees with this, the Continuity Bill must proceed with vigour.