Ian Blackford has accused Boris Johnson of carrying out an "attack on the Scottish Parliament" after plans emerged for transferring state aid powers to London. 

Speaking to the Herald, the SNP Westminster leader said the plans  were an attempt at a "power grab" from Holyrood, and other devolved administrations in Cardiff and Belfast. 

He made the remarks ahead of today's opposition day debate, where Mr Blackford and his SNP colleagues wil lead a discussion on the constitution and the relationship between Scotland and Westminster, and the EU. 


The MP said claims by the Conservatives that Scotland would be given more powers following the end of the Brexit transition period were “spin beyond spin”.

The Conservatives have repeatedly said the SNP would rather give powers to Brussels than keep them themselves.

Blackford said: “The bill that’s going to come in front of Parliament over the course of the next few months is nothing but a blatant power grab against the Scottish Parliament, and it’s really important that we have a discussion with people back home as to what this means.
“We all voted in the referendum in 1997, to have a Scottish Parliament with tax-varying powers. That was the people of Scotland giving their mandate for the establishment of that parliament, and it was then reinforced with the Scotland Act to define what the parliament could do.
“There has to be, from Westminster, respect for devolution. There has to be respect for the parliaments not just in Edinburgh, but in Cardiff and Belfast as well.

"What we are seeing is that without consent, Westminster is effectively tearing up the agreement between the people of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament, because they’re now resetting the rules as to what’s permissible.”

Mr Blackford said that Ireland's membership of the EU and its handling of the Brexit "crisis" showed "small countries" can be valued members of the EU. 

He said: " The way that Ireland have behaved right through the Brexit crisis has been exemplary...What it's shown is the respect small countries can have within Europe.

"If you put that in the context of the attack on the Scottish Parliament, what Brexiteers don't get is that Europe works by consensus, it builds consensus.

"Yes of course you have full sovereignty, but that's a very different position than the one of our parliament, which at the moment is getting kicked around and they've got no real way of defending it, I'm sad to say."


Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said the SNP’s concerns of a power grab were “ tired old claims” that “could not be further from the truth”
He said: “We will set out our plans shortly. But they will work for Scotland’s economy and they will respect the devolution settlement.
“Scores of new powers will flow to Holyrood as a result of our leaving the EU – powers that ironically the Scottish Government want to remain in Brussels.”