UK Government Imposing Authority Over Holyrood
The ability of the Scottish Parliament to take decisions for the benefit of people in Scotland is being curtailed by the actions of the UK Government, Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson has said.
His comments follow a new paper setting out how the UK Government has imposed increasing control over devolved policy matters, against the wishes of the Scottish Parliament, since the Brexit referendum.
Before Brexit, Westminster governments had never passed new laws in devolved policy areas without the Scottish Parliament’s consent.
The current UK Government has now done so on nine occasions, with that number set to increase over the coming months.
Far from a supposed ‘union of equals’, what we have is a UK Government throwing its weight around and undermining the devolution settlement time and again.
GRAEME
This new paper outlines how this trend has been worsening since the unwanted Brexit that was imposed on Scotland against its will.
The situation has deteriorated to the point where a debate needed to be held in the Scottish Parliament at the end of last month on defending devolution.
But it should be increasingly clear that Scotland’s interests are best served, indeed can only be protected, with the full powers of independence.
The Scottish Parliament was set up because people in Scotland voted for it, but the Westminster government is rolling back on that democratic process.
CONSTITUTION SECRETARY, ANGUS ROBERTSON
Under the cover of Brexit, they are imposing direct Westminster rule by stealth and curtailing the ability of the Parliament to take decisions for the benefit of people in Scotland.
What we have seen so far is the thin edge of the wedge. UK Government ministers have given themselves the power to subject healthcare and water services in Scotland to UK-wide so called “market access” principles.
The evidence the Scottish Government is presenting today sets out the range of underhand mechanisms UK Government ministers are using to undermine the democratically elected Scottish Parliament and exert tightening Westminster control on Scottish life.
I hope that this evidence will be used by all those who value the Scottish Parliament and wish to protect this essential national democratic institution.
Background
Devolution since the Brexit Referendum – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
