THERE was no agreement on changes to the Tory Brexit power grab Bill at yesterday’s meeting between Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon.
The two met prior to a Joint Ministerial Committee in Downing Street between the Prime Minister and the heads of the devolved administration.
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Both events were overshadowed by the row with the Russians over the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
But speaking to press afterwards, an optimistic Sturgeon said there had been time for all views to be aired and that there was consensus from all sides that it would be better to have agreement than confrontation,
The First Minister added that the differences between the governments were “not insignificant” but neither were they “insurmountable”.
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A statement from Downing Street said they were “committed to continuing to work together to find an agreement”.
Earlier in the Commons, May had been accused of “overseeing the demolition of the devolution settlement” by the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford.
He had called on the Tory leader to work harder to find agreement with the devolved governments over Clause 11 of the EU Withdrawal Bill – the legislation which aims to transfer all EU law on to the British statute books.
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Though the administrations in Cardiff and Edinburgh have agreed with Downing Street on what should happen with around 80 of the powers in devolved responsibilities due to come back to the UK following Brexit, disputes remain over another 24.
Tory ministers want to take control of these powers, which include responsibilities in agriculture, food labelling and public procurement, and for them to be part of UK-wide frameworks.
While the governments in Scotland and Wales have no opposition to being part of UK-wide frameworks, they insist they must agree any changes rather than simply being consulted.
During yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Blackford said May had once “famously claimed that the UK was made up of equal partners”
He added: “What an irony, now that she’s overseeing the demolition of the devolution settlement.
“In 1997, the Tories were happy to oppose the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament.
“Their clothes haven’t changed. Now in 2018, they’re happy to systemically destroy the settlement that the Parliament thrives on.
“I call upon the Prime Minister once again. Stop this attack on devolution and redouble your efforts in working with the devolved administrations in finding agreement.”
May said: “This is a Government that has actually given more powers to the Scottish Government.
“This is a Government that will be giving more powers to the Scottish Government – significant extra powers will be devolved to the Scottish and Welsh governments as a result of the decisions that we’re taking around Brexit.
“But we have given more powers, including of course the tax raising powers.
“It’s just a pity that the Scottish nationalists have chosen to use their tax raising powers to increase the taxes on people earning £26,000 or more.”
Meanwhile, the scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s Continuity Bill in Holyrood went on late into the night for a second day.
Holyrood’s Finance and Constitution Committee have gone through 230 possible amendments to the Bill, tabled as a stop-gap in case there is no agreement between the UK Government and the devolved governments over Clause 11.
MSPs backed an amendment that reined in the powers that would be given to ministers by the SNP Government’s Bill.
It would have given ministers – rather than MSPs – powers to amend and change laws to “maintain regulatory alignment with the EU”.
Scottish Brexit secretary Mike Russell accepted that the “special powers” should be limited.
He said this was the “most controversial section of the Bill”, and added that MSPs would need to sign off any use of the power.
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