This Week in Westminster: Scottish Tories side with extreme Brexiteers

by Olaf Stando
Posted on
5 years ago
3 min read
25/02/193:30pm

Theresa May delayed the meaningful vote on Brexit

Returning from an EU-Arab League summit in Egypt, where Theresa May held talks with Donald Tusk and EU leaders, she announced that the meaningful vote on Brexit may not take place until the 12th March.

That’s a shameful attempt to run down the clock until just 10 parliamentary days before Brexit day.

Theresa May continues to falsely believe that she can renegotiate her Brexit deal, which was rejected by a margin of 230 in January.

She knows that she will not achieve any changes, so instead she’s trying to delay the decision, causing anxiety to Scotland’s businesses and communities with every passing day.

26/02/191:50pm

Ian Blackford called out the UK Government’s tactics of threatening Scotland with a no-deal

Theresa May gave a statement in the House of Commons about the latest progress in her Brexit negotiations with the EU.
The problem is, however, that there has been no progress at all.

She promised changes to the backstop only to appease the hard-right Brextremists on her own benches, even though she knew that such changes were always unworkable.

With every day that the UK Government delays a decision, no-deal becomes more likely, with all its damaging consequences. This is unacceptable to the people of Scotland, and we will always fight against a no-deal.

27/02/195:00pm

The SNP tabled an amendment to prevent a no-deal Brexit, but Scottish Tories betrayed Scotland by voting it down

Wednesday was dominated by yet another Brexit debate and various amendments intending to steer the Brexit process out of the impasse.

The SNP group tabled an amendment, with cross-party support, which would rule out a no-deal Brexit under all circumstances.

Latest economic evidence revealed that no-deal would threaten 100,000 Scottish jobs, lead to a 7% drop in GDP, reduce the supply of workers across the economy, and cause disproportional pain to the agricultural and fishing sectors.
Given these disastrous consequences, keeping no-deal on the table is the height of irresponsibility.

MPs faced a clear choice – they could side with the extreme Brexiteers, or they could side with Scotland’s interests.

Shamefully, all Scottish Tories voted against the SNP amendment. When questioned about it, David Mundell absurdly attempted to claim that by tabling an amendment to prevent no-deal, the SNP want a no-deal.

28/02/194:45pm

SNP MPs took part in a climate change debate, highlighting Scotland’s global leadership

Climate change is one of the biggest threats we face today, and it is the responsibility of all nations and decision makers to take action before it’s too late.

Speaking in a House of Commons debate on the UK’s progress towards zero-carbon emissions, SNP MPs highlighted the urgency of tackling climate change, and spelled out examples of Scotland’s world-leading action on protecting the environment.