DAVID Mundell has expressed confidence that Nicola Sturgeon will, despite her protestations, agree to Holyrood backing the UK Government’s flagship EU Withdrawal Bill.
The First Minister has said that, thus far, she could not support the Scottish Parliament giving its consent to the legislation she has branded a “naked power-grab”.
But after a series of bilaterals between ministers from London and Edinburgh and with a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee pencilled in for later this month, the Scottish Secretary said history suggested that, despite the SNP Government’s complaining, it would come round in the end.
Speaking to journalists at conference, he said: “I have always been confident that we will be able to reach a resolution on this matter.
“I have been round this block on a number of occasions. We were told after the Calman Commission with the Scotland Act 2012 that this would never be agreed and it would never get over the Scottish parliamentary hurdles; it did.
“We were told with the 2016 Scotland Act, the Smith Commission proposals would never be agreed and they were. We were told the Fiscal Framework would never be agreed; it was.
“So, I have always been confident we will be able to reach agreement on the EU Withdrawal Bill and related legislation and positioning Scotland for post-Brexit opportunities…because, ultimately, the Scottish Government and even the SNP realise it is to the benefit of Scotland to have a good settlement of these issues and to put Scotland on the front foot as we move forward post Brexit.”
Earlier during his keynote speech, Mr Mundell told Ms Sturgeon to abandon “conjuring up constitutional grievances” as he claimed the Tories were putting forward a common sense approach to Brexit.
He claimed that without Theresa May’s firm opposition to the First Minister’s push for a second independence referendum, Scotland would be facing a rerun of 2014 within a year.
“Faced with her unwanted demand, Theresa said simply and firmly: ‘Now is not the time.’ Without that clear decision, Scotland would be facing the prospect of an independence referendum as early as a year from now.”
Later in his speech, Mr Mundell stressed how Scotland needed to be Brexit-ready and claimed the UK Government had put forward a “common sense approach to leaving the EU”.
Emphasising how people wanted certainty and stability, he spoke about more devolved powers and the need to maintain common UK frameworks to protect Britain’s internal market.
“We will add to Holyrood’s responsibilities as decision-making powers return from Brussels. That’s what our approach will deliver and I urge the Scottish Government to continue to work with us on these issues.
“Now is not the time for conjuring up constitutional grievances. Now is the time for working together, constructively, as the people of Scotland expect from their two governments,” he added.
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