BREXIT is having a profound unsettling effect on devolution.

The UK, Welsh and Scottish governments are locked in dispute over how to redistribute powers currently exercised in Brussels when they are repatriated.

Under the devolution settlement, many ought to go directly to Edinburgh and Cardiff.

But the UK wants to “temporarily ring-fence” some devolved policy areas at Westminster to create UK-wide common frameworks to maintain the UK internal market.

These would focus on agriculture, fisheries and the environment.

The devolved governments object to this “power grab”, and are demanding a say over how frameworks are established.

They have passed continuity bills to take control of devolved EU law if there is no deal.

The UK government may now refer the issue to the UK Supreme Court.

If there is no agreement by May, the UK government may take the unprecedented step of imposing its preference via the EU Withdrawal Bill, even if Holyrood withhold its consent.