BREXIT legislation must be amended “without further delay” to prevent a so-called power grab by Westminster, Nicola Sturgeon has insisted.
The First Minister said it was “absolutely disgraceful” that promises to amend the EU (Withdrawal) Bill in the House of Commons had been broken.
The UK Government missed a deadline for amendments to be tabled at the Commons report stage earlier this week, despite cross-party support for changes in Scotland.
The controversy centres on clause 11 of the Brexit Bill, which would see 111 powers currently held by the EU – but which fall under devolved areas – return to Westminster after Brexit.
Ms Sturgeon blasted plans for the amendments to be brought forward in the House of Lords instead.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, she said: “The failure to bring forward amendments to the Withdrawal Bill at the report stage of the House of Commons is not just a disgrace – although it absolutely is a disgrace – it’s in direct contradiction to the promise the Secretary of State for Scotland made, that these amendments would be brought forward to the House of Commons, and not to the undemocratic, unelected House of Lords. That promise has been completely broken.
“There is no excuse. I heard Tory MPs during the week saying, ‘Oh, it was unfortunate – it was due to the tight timescales.’ The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government jointly wrote the amendments that could have been lodged or supported by the UK Government.
“So we need to see amendments without further delay. But not only any amendments. We need to see amendments that properly address the issue.
“Clause 11 of [the EU Withdrawal Bill] is a power grab. That’s the view of the cross-party committee of this parliament. And we will not recommend to this parliament approval of that Bill unless Clause 11 and the other aspects that concern people across the chamber are properly addressed.
“We hope we can still find agreement, and we will continue to work constructively in order to try to find agreement – but of course, we have to prepare for that not being possible. And that’s why we have set out plans to bring forward if necessary our own Continuity Bill.
“But it is absolutely disgraceful that having launched this power grab on this parliament, the Tories have then broken all of the promises they’ve made so far about fixing it. So let’s see that change sooner rather than later.”
It is understood the UK Government’s timetable slipped following the resignation of Cabinet Office minister Damian Green, who had been spearheading talks with the Scottish and Welsh administrations.
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