EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Scottish political parties will unite against the Conservatives, the party of British Prime Minister Theresa May, in a rare joint front to show their anger at her plan to leave the European Union.
The Union Flag, The Saltire and the European flag fly outside the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood Edinburgh, Scotland March 13, 2017. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
A joint motion by parties except the Conservatives in Edinburghs devolved parliament aims to underline the ire felt in much of Scotland which voted to remain in the EU at a 2016 referendum. They say Mays Brexit deal was negotiated without taking into account their views, something the government denies.
The vote does not have any direct tangible bearing on the Brexit process but is a way of showing the strength of feeling over Mays Brexit plans and how the parties say they are expected to damage the Scottish economy, which accounts for 8 percent of Britains economy as a whole.
The group will propose a single motion opposing Mays EU Withdrawal Agreement in a debate at Holyrood, which has wide-reaching powers over education, health and a portion of taxes. The only group which will not sign the motion is the Scottish Conservatives.
The motion will be backed by the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) and Scottish Greens and the anti-independence Labour and Liberal Democrats.
Scottish politics have been divided on constitutional lines since a 2014 referendum on independence, in which Scots voted by 55-45 percent to stay part of the United Kingdom. Agreement on big political issues has been extremely rare since then.
May visited Scotland on Wednesday in attempt to drum up public support for her Brexit deal agreed in Brussels last weekend, which she says suits all corners of Britain.
“The day after the Prime Ministers stage-managed visit to Scotland … this unique and positive cooperation between four of the five parties at Holyrood indicates Scotlands strength of feeling on Brexit and the Prime Ministers untenable position,” they said in a joint statement.
Britains 52-48 percent 2016 vote to leave the EU strained the ties of the four-nation United Kingdom because England and Wales voted to leave but a majority in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay.
“These four parties dont seem to get it,” Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw said.
“The alternative to the prime ministers deal is a no-deal scenario. It would be devastating for Britain. Yet that is what the SNP, Labour, the LibDems and the Greens are risking by opposing the deal on the table.”
Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; editing by Stephen Addison
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