Friday

29th Mar 2024

Scotland and Wales brace for UK clash on Brexit

  • Scotland wants to prevent the UK from retaining power over some policy areas after Brexit (Photo: maria_navarro_sorolla)

Governments in Wales and Scotland appear to be heading towards a possible constitutional clash with the UK given the messy departure debate from the European Union.

On Tuesday (27 February), the two governments issued emergency measures or so-called "continuity bills" that would broadly prevent Westminster from securing more power over Wales and Scotland once Britain formally leaves the EU.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The bills will soon be debated in the respective parliaments in Edinburgh and Cardiff, and seek to ensure that issues currently administrated by the EU, like fisheries and agriculture, will not fall under the administrative grip of the British government in London.

"It is not typical for a minister to come to this chamber to tell members that they regret the introduction of legislation, but that is the situation I find myself in today," Scotland's Brexit Minister Michael Russell, said in a statement.

Russell said the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales have been denied any meaningful input into the Brexit process and in the lead up to UK's EU withdrawal bill.

Should nothing be done, he noted that the UK government will be able to take control over devolved policy areas after Brexit.

"This whole debate is about the existing powers of this parliament – powers in relation to policy areas, such as farming, fishing , justice and the environment," he said.

The Welsh government made similar comments, noting that the EU withdrawal bill would also the UK government to seize too much control.

"This is simply not acceptable to the Welsh government, or the people of Wales who have voted for devolution in two referendums," the Welsh government was cited as saying by Reuters.

The move comes ahead of a UK vote on the EU withdrawal bill next month, which needs a deal with Scotland and Wales before it can pass in the British parliament. Scottish ministers have previously described a clause in the bill as a power grab.

The timing of the Welsh and Scottish bills is crucial given the March vote.

UK prime minister Theresa May is set to meet the first ministers of Scotland and Wales to discuss Brexit ahead of an EU summit on 22 March.

Brexit is listed as one of big agenda summit items among the 27 EU leaders and heads of state.

Barnier: open-ended Brexit transition 'not possible'

The EU will publish the draft legal text of the withdrawal agreement on Wednesday, including conditions on transition. Barnier warned there are still a "lot of points of disagreement" between the EU and the UK - including dates and Ireland.

EU leaders to kick off post-Brexit budget debate

EU-27 leaders will meet on Friday to draw up battle lines and possible fields of compromise over the EU's next seven-year budget - the first one after the UK leaves the bloc.

May to Scotland: 'Now is not the time' for referendum

The UK prime minister did not rule out a new Scottish referendum, but disputes the timetable. The Scottish first minister responded by accusing London of trying to "undemocratically" block Scots from deciding their fate post-Brexit.

Brexit deal in jeopardy as May refuses EU's Irish option

The EU is growing increasingly frustrated with the UK, as London is struggling to spell out a vision for the future. In the meantime, the Irish border issue could blow up the Brexit negotiations - again.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us