SCOTTISH Brexit Minister Michael Russell has written to the Archbishop of York after the cleric hinted that he would vote with the UK Government on the great Brexit power grab.

During a House of Lords debate on devolution and the Government’s EU Withdrawal Bill, John Sentamu, who sits in the upper chamber and who has a say on the legislation, said he had fears about giving powers repatriated from Brussels straight to Holyrood.

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Sentamu said: “If those were just simply handed over, without clear legislation, we’re going to be in a real mess.”

He added: “There’d be no coherence, there’d be no way this is the United Kingdom, it’ll be something else.”

The archbishop then said it was the devolved administrations’ fault that the message wasn’t “getting through”.

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“This isn’t grabbing power,” he said, adding that the powers coming back from Brussels needed “very careful consideration, otherwise some may think, leave the EU for some equals independence”.

Russell tweeted: “As a member of the Anglican Communion disappointed in this”.

He added: “have now written to @JohnSentamu providing information on why @scotgov & @WelshGovernment remain opposed to Clause 11 of the #EUWithdrawalBill and offering a personal briefing if he and his fellow Bishops in @UKHouseofLords would like one.”