Internal market leak shows Tories taking contempt to new levels
A leaked photograph showing the UK Government preparing to introduce its "power grab" internal market bill reveals that the Tories are taking their contempt for Scotland to new levels, says Scottish Greens Co-Leader Patrick Harvie MSP.
Patrick Harvie MSP said:
“The Tories internal market proposal was subject to a very short consultation, with no draft bill presented, and which took place while the Scottish Parliament was in recess. Now just three weeks after the consultation closed it seems ministers are already signing off the press release, but still nobody has seen the legislation.
“The proposals are completely incompatible with devolution, threatening a huge range of policy areas including environmental, food and farming standards. If allowed to proceed these plans would even threaten Scotland’s decisions to ban fracking or prevent new nuclear power stations. The internal market could also put at risk bold public health measures such as minimum unit pricing, and it certainly could allow further private sector involvement in our NHS.
“The UK Government has taken its contempt for Scotland to new levels during this process. It has refused to discuss this assault on devolution with MSPs and it has declined to show the draft legislation to devolved administrations. It’s no wonder that a growing majority in Scotland are coming to the realisation that Scotland’s interests are best served by taking our future into our own hands.”