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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Torcuil Crichton

Boris Johnson accused of shattering trust in Westminster by driving through Brexit trading plans

Boris Johnson has been accused of "shattering" any remaining trust in a "broken Westminster system" by driving through controversial Internal Market Bill.

SNP leader at the Commons Ian Blackford said the bill, voted through on Tuesday night, was a "defining moment in devolution".

At Prime Minister's Questions, Blackford said Scottish MPs had voted overwhelmingly against the "Tory power grab bill" but it had been "forced through in the biggest attack on our Scottish Parliament in the history of devolution".

The Bill, which replaces EU Single Market rules, aims to create a level playing field of rules across the UK. The SNP fear it could lead to a lowering of standards to whatever UK ministers decide.

The Bill has also been branded an "attack" on devolution because it contains powers which enable UK ministers to provide financial assistance for areas normally controlled by devolved goverments.

The SNP Scottish government has already pledged it will not give legislative consent to the bill.

In the Commons, Blackford pressed home his attack by accusing the PM of “yapping and mumbling excuses” instead of giving answers.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said trust in Westminster had been "shattered" by the Internal Markets Bill (House of Commons/PA Wire)

He said: “This has become a defining moment. If this attack on devolution fails to gain the consent of the devolved parliament’s of Wales and Northern Ireland and Scotland, will the Prime Minister withdraw this legislation or will he force it through against our wishes?”

“Isn’t the Prime Minister demonstrating yet again, that the only way to defend our parliament and its powers is by Scotland becoming an independent country?”

Johnson replied that Blackford was merely demonstrating that his ambition was to “ferment grievance where no grievance should exist”.

The PM said: "What this bill does is devolved powers back to Edinburgh which he should welcome. But more importantly what this bill protect jobs, growth and trade in the UK and that is the most important thing and that is why he should support it.”

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