Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly to vote simultaneously on Brexit motion

The Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales will today vote simultaneously on a motion declaring members’ opposition to the “damaging Brexit deal” agreed by the UK Government.

A majority of MSPs are expected to back the motion which claims that a No Deal outcome would be “completely unacceptable”.

It also calls for an extension to Article 50 to find the best way forward to protect the interests of Scotland, Wales and the UK as a whole.

Constitutional relations secretary Mike Russell said: “This is an unprecedented event: the first time in 20 years of devolution that the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales have debated the same motion simultaneously.

Constitutional relations secretary Mike Russell said the motion would send a 'strong message to the UK Government'

“We are taking this historic step to send a strong message to the UK Government that it must stop pursuing such a disastrous course of action.

“The Prime Minister’s deal will cause major, lasting damage to jobs, living standards and public services such as the NHS and should be voted down. The UK Government must also stop using the threat of a catastrophic No Deal outcome to blackmail the UK Parliament into accepting her deeply damaging plans.

“An extension that stops the clock on Brexit would allow time for agreement to be reached on a better way forward, which the Scottish Government believes should be a second EU referendum with Remain on the ballot paper.”

Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw accused the SNP of being engaged in “game-playing”.

He said: “This debate has little to do with moving Scotland forward and everything to do with Nicola Sturgeon using Brexit to push for independence.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “An orderly Brexit is in the UK’s best interests and the best way to achieve that is for MPs of all parties to support the Prime Minister’s deal. The deal is a good one for Scotland, Wales and the whole of the UK – it delivers the result of the referendum, gives us a close future partnership with the EU, and guarantees citizens’ rights. Refusing to support the Prime Minister’s deal simply makes a damaging no deal more likely.”