TORIES’ POWER GRAB ON SCOTS’ PARLIAMENT

I challenged the Tories on their plans to establish a ‘UK Internal Market’, which will create an unelected body to determine whether bills passed in the Scottish Parliament meet a “test” before they can be implemented. Had this body existed previously, it would have prevented Scotland’s smoking ban, free tuition and food and animal safety standards.

The Secretary of State denied this but the truth is that Scotland’s Parliament will be undermined if these plans go ahead. Scotland will only be able to diverge in policy areas such as minimum unit pricing of alcohol and the smoking ban if the U.K. Government agrees to do the same.

This is undoubtedly an assault on the principles of devolution. It beggars belief that a Government which was comprehensively rejected by the people of Scotland, will establish an unelected body with the power to veto legislation passed by the democratically elected government of Scotland. It is clear that the UK Government has decided that if it cannot win elections in Scotland, it will simply seek to diminish the power of Scotland’s democratic institutions.

Watch the exchange below: