DAVID Mundell has suggested that Nicola Sturgeon never wanted a deal between London and Edinburgh on the Brexit Bill.
At Scottish Questions in the Commons, the Scottish Secretary, was asked if he thought the SNP Government ever wished to seek agreement on the UK Government’s flagship legislation and replied, to expressions of surprise from the Conservative benches: “I think that Mr Michael Russell wanted to do a deal on the EU withdrawal agreement.”
Last month, Mr Mundell suggested that the Scottish Government’s Brexit Minister was willing to agree to Whitehall’s amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill but had been overruled by the First Minister; a claim denied by Mr Russell.
The Secretary of State has indicated to MPs that they will have a chance to discuss the contentious Scottish clause when the EU Withdrawal Bill returns to the Commons next week.
SNP sources found this hard to believe as the consideration of 15 Lords amendments was due to be taken over 12 hours in one day’s sitting next Tuesday; a situation described by Ian Blackford, the Nationalist leader at Westminster, as an “affront to democracy”.
But after Theresa May held private talks in Downing Street with potential Tory rebels, it emerged that the Government will now set aside two days for debate next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Earlier during Scottish Questions, Mr Mundell was challenged by SNP MPs over the Conservative Government’s plan to press on with the Brexit bill despite Holyrood failing to give its consent.
Joanna Cherry, the MP for Edinburgh South West, asked: "Can the Secretary of State tell us whether he has explained to the Prime Minister that by a majority of three to one MSPs, four out of five parties in the Scottish Parliament withheld legislative consent and what has he advised her to do to recognise this overwhelming expression of the democratic will of the Scottish people?"
Her Nationalist colleague Tommy Sheppard, who represents Edinburgh East, said: "It takes a particular form of arrogance to try and force through a position which is supported by only one of the five political parties in Scotland and less than one quarter of the members of the Scottish parliament.
"Four out the five political parties in Scotland now understand that this is the first Secretary of State for Scotland in history who seeks to lessen the control of the Scottish people over their own affairs.”
He asked the Scottish Secretary: “Will he now stand down and make way for someone who will respect the wishes of the Scottish people and respect the national government of Scotland?"
But Mr Mundell replied Mr Sheppard had “let the cat out of the bag” with his final words.
“Scotland has two governments, that's what Scotland voted for in 2014, for Scotland to be part of this UK and I will continue to stand up and defend Scotland's place in the UK," he added.
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