War has broken out between the UK and Scottish governments after Theresa May ridiculed an SNP threat to block Brexit at Holyrood.
Edinburgh-based Brexit Minister Mike Russell said MSPs could halt the process after the Prime Minister announced her intention to trigger Article 50, the legal mechanism which starts the process of Britain quitting the European Union, within the next five months.
But he was caught in the Tory leader’s crossfire as she addressed her first party conference in charge, who insisted there would be “no opt-out” for any devolved nations, despite Scotland and Northern Ireland voting to remain in Europe.
Mrs May said: “The negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union are the responsibility of the Government and nobody else.
“I have already said that we will consult and work with the devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, because we want Brexit to work in the interests of the whole country. And we will do the same with business and municipal leaders across the land.
"There's no opt-out from #Brexit"- @theresa_may's message "to divisive nationalists" #CPC16https://t.co/wV1jJ4fFc7
https://t.co/aQmpzA2wU2— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) October 2, 2016
PM going out of her way to say Scotland's voice and interests don't matter. Strange approach from someone who wants to keep UK together.
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) October 2, 2016
“But the job of negotiating our new relationship is the job of the Government. Because we voted in the referendum as one United Kingdom, we will negotiate as one United Kingdom, and we will leave the European Union as one United Kingdom.
“There is no opt-out from Brexit. And I will never allow divisive nationalists to undermine the precious union between the four nations of our United Kingdom.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon responded in a tweet: “PM going out of her way to say Scotland’s voice and interests don’t matter. Strange approach from someone who wants to keep UK together.”
Mr Russell argued that Holyrood could use a legislative consent motion, which means Westminster would not normally pass any legislation on devolved matters without the Scottish Parliament’s consent, to block Britain quitting the bloc.
But James Chalmers, Regius Professor of Law at Glasgow University, has previously told The Courier that, as it is only a convention, no such threat could be followed through on.
SNP Minister Mr Russell told the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland: “We need to make sure we are in there be in there discussing these matters. On a range of matters from free movement of people to education we are not hearing that Scotland’s vital interests are being protected.
“At present there is a majority against a Repeal bill. That is absolutely obvious. There have been three votes in the Scottish Parliament in the last four weeks on European matters.
“All of them have been in favour of the single market and issues like that and against what appears to be the current position of the hard Brexiteers who are trying to force Theresa May into their camp.”
Professor Chalmers said: “If Holyrood had a Brexit veto, this would have been a huge issue throughout the referendum campaign. The reason it wasn’t? Because it doesn’t.”
Mrs May said Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will be triggered in the first three months of 2017, marking the start of the two-year process to enact Brexit.
The process can be extended beyond two years if Britain and all other EU countries unanimously agree, but that prospect is seen as unlikely.
