Ian Blackford has accused Boris Johnson of “an act of economic vandalism” by bringing in a Brexit trade deal with the EU.
The SNP leader at Westminster accused the Tory Prime Minister of “betrayal” on fishing rights, student exchanges and denying the sovereignty of the Scottish people as MPs debated the results of months of tortuous Brexit negotiations.
The trade deal agreed with the EU last week is being rushed through the Commons and the Lords in just one day to avoid the New Year deadline that would result in import duty and customs barriers.
The SNP’s Westminster leader told the Commons the Prime Minister was “drowning in delusion” by claiming this is the biggest free trade deal in history.
Blackford said the best deal is the one which currently exists with the UK in the Single Market and Customs Union.
He told MPs: "This is a piece of legislation that is being put forward today. No-deal is not on the order paper.
"The deal that we currently have, the deal that exists today, where we’re in the single market and in the customs union, is the best deal for us.
"We should have extended transition and that offer to extend transition was there from the European Union. It is not our choice to accept this shoddy deal."
Blackford repeatedly disrupted the Prime Minister at the start of the Brexit debate with points of order.
The Ross Skye and Lochaber MP challenged Johnson over claims that the Brexit deal secured with the EU would benefit fishermen.
Blackford asked how the UK was going to “take back control” its waters “when Scottish fishermen are going to have less access and less fish to catch as a consequence of his con deal.”
Johnson in turn challenged the SNP leader’s assessment of the deal.
The PM replied: “I must correct him. Not only will we take back control of our waters, we will increase Scottish fishermen’s share of all the relevant stocks - cod, for instance, going up by to 57 per cent, North Sea haddock going up by seven per cent.”
The Prime Minister made the point of referring to the SNP as the “Scottish Nationalist Party” in order to infuriate Blackford who duly raised the matter as another point of order.
Johnson said he was referring to nationalist with a “small n” as a description of the party. Blackford later responded that he was referring to Boris Johnson with a 'small b'."
After today's vote, the bill passes to the Lords and on to the Queen for royal assent.
Labour’s Keir Starmer said his party would reluctantly vote for it, while the Liberal Democrats, SNP and all other parties decided to vote against.
Starmer said the SNP were hoping that others do the “right thing”and vote in favour of implementing the treaty to avoid a no-deal situation.
Responding to the SNP’s David Linden, he told the Commons: "He’s going to vote in the hope that others will vote the other way and save him from the consequences of his own vote."
But not all in Labour ranks accepted the deal.
Labour veteran Kevin Brennan said in nearly 20 years as an MP, he has often voted for propositions despite having reservations. But he did not see why Labour should vote for the deal.
He added: “Even on the government’s own terms, this deal is a failure, he says. It is a thin deal and a bad deal."
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