“Unacceptable” – Emma Roddick MSP slams Labour for disrespecting devolution

SNP MSP Emma Roddick has slammed the Labour government for upholding the Conservatives’ Internal Market Act, a piece of legislation which both the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd refused consent for when it was brought forward. The Act allows UK Ministers to override decisions made in devolved areas.

Speaking in a debate on protecting the powers of the Scottish Parliament, she said:

“We should be able to do things differently here because we are a different country.

“We can take decisions to work with our closest neighbours, or nations across the world with whom we agree on tackling climate change and furthering human rights, but those agreements, or treaties- or unions – should be voluntary.

“The Internal Market Act powers are not voluntary, we didn’t even agree to the Act itself.  This union is no longer voluntary, either.

“It is unacceptable that, yet again, we face a UK Government which will not respect or uphold the decisions made by the democratically elected Scottish Parliament. I hope people stop accepting it, because there is an alternative, and that alternative is independence.”