Mundell should resign after ‘totally shafting’ Scotland, SNP demands

Scottish Secretary David Mundell is facing calls to resign amid claims that he has “totally shafted'' the people of Scotland over Brexit.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, back in the Commons after being ordered out during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, said Mr Mundell has also “downgraded devolution'' and ignored the Scottish Parliament by supporting the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

He urged Mr Mundell to apologise and accused the Cabinet minister of effectively having turned “on its head'' the Sewel convention, the precedent that Westminster must have the consent of Holyrood to legislate on devolved matters.

The Scottish Parliament has not granted a legislative consent motion for the key Brexit legislation.

But Mr Mundell said the convention is not absolute and the UK Government would seek consent unless there are “not normal circumstances applying'', adding to MPs: “I think anyone would accept the UK leaving the EU are not normal circumstances.''

Mr Mundell earlier said “significant'' changes to the Bill have been made to protect the powers of the devolved governments.

He said all decision-making powers returning from the EU that intersect with devolved competence will pass directly to Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast unless “explicit steps are taken to temporarily preserve an EU framework''.

Mr Mundell also argued that Westminster would, via the Bill, be delivering on its commitment to give “significant further powers'' to the Scottish Parliament.

For the SNP, Mr Blackford said: “The Secretary of State comes before us today with excuses, attempting to save his own skin, knowing that he has totally shafted Scotland and the people of Scotland.''

Mr Blackford added: “Will the Secretary of State now apologise to the people of Scotland for his series of broken promises?

“The Secretary of State has failed to protect devolution, failed to protect the Scottish Parliament, failed to protect Scottish interests.

“Having plunged Scotland into constitutional crisis, will he finally do the right thing, if he has any dignity, if he has any self-respect, and resign and do it now?''

Mr Blackford was applauded by SNP colleagues after his speech.

Mr Mundell replied: “After yesterday I am not taking any lessons from (Mr Blackford) on dignity.''

The Cabinet minister also said “chanting'' from the SNP in line with Mr Blackford's speech was a sign of their “guerrilla tactics''.

Mr Mundell said he respected Mr Blackford's opposition to Brexit, but added: “He is not entitled firstly to ignore the views of over a million people in Scotland who voted for Brexit, who the SNP want to airbrush out of history.

“And he's not entitled to ignore the result of the referendum across the United Kingdom as a whole. Therefore it's incumbent on this Government to deliver Brexit and that is what we will do.'