I know the SNP tactic under Sturgeon was not to work with Westminster – and of course the tories would try to make it hard to work with them – but I think working with them is not just what I want from Holyrood but actually what the general public want from the SNP.
Perhaps the hardcore activists will be furious at working with Sir Keith Starver and Liebour and all their usual histrionic pish, but the voters just want effective government.
>The Scottish and UK governments have agreed to collaborate on new measures to control vaping, nationalise railways and ban landlords from barring families on benefits from housing.
>Kate Forbes, Scotland’s deputy first minister, said her government welcomed the new approach, which follows years of repeated confrontations between the Scottish National party government and the Conservatives at Westminster.
>Twenty-four of the 40 proposed bills announced in the king’s speech on Wednesday are expected to affect Scotland.
…
>**UK government sources in the Scotland Office said Whitehall civil servants had approached their counterparts in Edinburgh last week to seek prior agreement on several bills being unveiled in the king’s speech.** “We promised change,” Ian Murray, the new Scotland secretary, said. “This king’s speech demonstrates we are rolling up our sleeves and delivering that change.”
>Last week, Ed Miliband, the UK net zero secretary, oversaw meetings with his Scottish counterparts to work on a rescue plan for the closure-threatened oil refinery at Grangemouth.
…
>The proposed new UK-wide bills include a ban on tobacco products, where Scottish agreement is needed to control the way vapes are sold to young people; new measures on nationalising rail services, which will strengthen existing powers for Holyrood to run ScotRail services; and barring landlords from blocking families on benefits from renting their properties.
>These areas are normally controlled at Holyrood. **UK sources said Scottish officials had agreed to allow Whitehall departments to include Scotland in the Westminster bills. Ministers at Holyrood will then give the measures legislative consent.**
The fact that the UK government actually met with Holyrood to discuss the bills and what impact they may have on Scotland is incredibly welcome. It should be the norm anyway but it’s a huge change to how the tories went about governance.
Guardian trying to demonstrate division of approach in the SNP. It’s not convincing because Forbes is talking about collaboration and Flynn says the Kings Speech was timid. It’s possible to decry the plans as timid whilst also collaborating to deliver elements of the plans that you agree with. They are not opposing views and they both have completely different roles.
The title is weird. Scotland and Westminster? Not Holyrood and Westminster?
Good. This was the norm for years.
I know some have convinced themselves that the SNP were being deliberately obstructionist at the drop of a hat – but surely this demonstrates that the problem was with the Tories. The SNP can work with Westminster if both parties are willing.
Labour in Wales have been saying the same as the SNP for years as well.
5 comments
I know the SNP tactic under Sturgeon was not to work with Westminster – and of course the tories would try to make it hard to work with them – but I think working with them is not just what I want from Holyrood but actually what the general public want from the SNP.
Perhaps the hardcore activists will be furious at working with Sir Keith Starver and Liebour and all their usual histrionic pish, but the voters just want effective government.
>The Scottish and UK governments have agreed to collaborate on new measures to control vaping, nationalise railways and ban landlords from barring families on benefits from housing.
>Kate Forbes, Scotland’s deputy first minister, said her government welcomed the new approach, which follows years of repeated confrontations between the Scottish National party government and the Conservatives at Westminster.
>Twenty-four of the 40 proposed bills announced in the king’s speech on Wednesday are expected to affect Scotland.
…
>**UK government sources in the Scotland Office said Whitehall civil servants had approached their counterparts in Edinburgh last week to seek prior agreement on several bills being unveiled in the king’s speech.** “We promised change,” Ian Murray, the new Scotland secretary, said. “This king’s speech demonstrates we are rolling up our sleeves and delivering that change.”
>Last week, Ed Miliband, the UK net zero secretary, oversaw meetings with his Scottish counterparts to work on a rescue plan for the closure-threatened oil refinery at Grangemouth.
…
>The proposed new UK-wide bills include a ban on tobacco products, where Scottish agreement is needed to control the way vapes are sold to young people; new measures on nationalising rail services, which will strengthen existing powers for Holyrood to run ScotRail services; and barring landlords from blocking families on benefits from renting their properties.
>These areas are normally controlled at Holyrood. **UK sources said Scottish officials had agreed to allow Whitehall departments to include Scotland in the Westminster bills. Ministers at Holyrood will then give the measures legislative consent.**
The fact that the UK government actually met with Holyrood to discuss the bills and what impact they may have on Scotland is incredibly welcome. It should be the norm anyway but it’s a huge change to how the tories went about governance.
Guardian trying to demonstrate division of approach in the SNP. It’s not convincing because Forbes is talking about collaboration and Flynn says the Kings Speech was timid. It’s possible to decry the plans as timid whilst also collaborating to deliver elements of the plans that you agree with. They are not opposing views and they both have completely different roles.
The title is weird. Scotland and Westminster? Not Holyrood and Westminster?
Good. This was the norm for years.
I know some have convinced themselves that the SNP were being deliberately obstructionist at the drop of a hat – but surely this demonstrates that the problem was with the Tories. The SNP can work with Westminster if both parties are willing.
Labour in Wales have been saying the same as the SNP for years as well.