Falkirk MP slates ‘Scottish raw deal’ as turmoil reigns in Westminster

As fresh turmoil erupted following yesterday’s Commons defeat for the Government - which now legally has to ask the EU for an extension - Mr Day and his SNP colleagues have made it clear they aim to resist to the end the plan to take Britain out of the EU.

Confusion reigned this morning over whether the Prime Minister had sent the letter yesterday’s defeat made inevitable, with conflicting reports that he had sent it but not signed it, or that he had sent an unsigned photocopy - or followed a letter with a second letter.

Jo Maugham QC tweeted: “We have instructed Kenny McBrearty QC to draft civil contempt proceedings against the Prime Minister if he does not send the Benn Act letter. We plan to issue these on Monday, if necessary”.

However Mr Johnson is adamant that he can force through a Brexit deal by Hallowe’en.

In a social media post he said: “Let’s go for a deal that can heal this country and allows us to believe in ourselves once again as an open, generous, global, outward-looking and free-trading United Kingdom.”

Labour’s shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said: “Johnson is a Prime Minister who is now treating Parliament and the courts with contempt”.

While the row enters what analysts have described as “uncharted constitutional waters” Mr Day says the proposed deal is “thoroughly bad for Scotland - takes us out of the customs union, the single market and ends freedom of movement”.

He added: “It is worse than Theresa May’s Deal and we can not accept it.

“The deal proposed leaves Scotland at a serious competitive disadvantage compared with Northern Ireland. That is unacceptable.

“If it is passed Scotland will be the only country not getting what it voted for at the EU referendum.

“So much for being a union of equals”

“Scotland has been completely ignored by Westminster throughout the Brexit process and now we are being singled out for a raw deal”.

Meanwhile the Scotsman newspaper reports today that a quickfire vote on Scottish independence is on course to be staged within Nicola’s Sturgeon’s 2020 timescale.

MSPs are expected to back new laws by the end of the month which pave the way for a second referendum.