KATE Forbes has launched a scathing attack on Labour’s plans to “dismiss the wishes of the Scottish Parliament” – by pledging not to repeal a key “power grab” law brought in by the Tories.
The Deputy First Minister slammed Labour for refusing to consider scrapping the controversial Internal Market Act – which cross-party critics have said steals power from the devolved governments.
Labour’s Mark Drakeford, the former first minister of Wales, described the law as a “smash and grab” on devolution.
The Internal Market Act is a piece of legislation which came in after Brexit and which is intended to maintain standards across the UK and block different regulations in the different nations and regions.
But its critics say it takes powers away from the devolved parliaments – scuppering efforts like Scotland’s deposit return scheme.
The scheme was eventually scrapped after UK ministers refused to co-operate with the Scottish Government on its plans for the recycling scheme by withholding an exemption to the act.
Earlier this week, Labour announced they would review the law – but said they would “consider whether to repeal the UK Internal Market Act or any part of it”.
Forbes said: “This may be a new Westminster government but it seems they’re prepared to dismiss the wishes of the Scottish Parliament just like the Tories.
“Apart from the Conservatives, every party in the Scottish Parliament, including Labour, voted for repeal of the act – which was described by the former first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, as a smash and grab on devolution
“It seems to be yet another example of Labour saying one thing before the election but doing something completely different in power.”
She added: “First it was the winter fuel payment, then its refusal to end the two-child cap and now its refusal to even consider abolishing the centrepiece of Boris Johnson’s power grab on the Scottish Parliament.
“The Scottish Government, however, will keep up the pressure to get rid of this law, stand up for the interests of Scotland and protect our Parliament.”
In his foreword to the consultation on the review, trade minister Douglas Alexander (above) said the review was necessary in Labour’s quest to promote economic growth.
He said that the act “sits in the background as a tool for all governments within the UK to manage instances of divergence which might cause unnecessary cost and trade barriers”.
But Alexander added: “The new UK Government recognises the strongly held views of some around the way that the UK Internal Market Act was previously managed and that businesses have been left with little time to adapt to new policies and changes.
“That is why we are seizing the opportunity to conduct this review early.”
