RICHARD Leonard has put forward a plan for a cross-party summit in a bid to break a deadlock between the UK and Scottish Government’s on crucial Brexit legislation.

The Scottish Labour leader has written to Theresa May’s de facto deputy, Cabinet Minister David Lidington and to Scottish Brexit Minister Michael Russell requesting all-party talks on the EU Withdrawal Bill.

Leonard believes this may find a way through the stand-off between the two governments over the return of devolved powers from Brussels following Brexit, as he predicted the Scottish Parliament would withhold legislative consent for the EU Withdrawal Bill at a vote tomorrow.

Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland programme, Leonard said: “I’ve written this weekend to David Lidington and to Mike Russell suggesting that as there appears to be a breakdown in trust and confidence between the two governments that there really needs to be an alternative way found forward.

“I think there is a lot at stake with the EU Withdrawal Bill and the devolution aspect of it and it appears that we are heading towards a situation where Scottish Parliament on Tuesday will certainly vote down the legislative consent motion on the EU Withdrawal Bill because of the treatment of devolution within it as it is currently constructed.”

He said he wants a meeting with the two governments, his own party, the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Lib Dems, “to see if we can, between us, find a way through this”.

He added: “I think that the Labour Party, as the party that delivered devolution, which has got a different tradition in a sense from either the SNP government in Edinburgh or the Tory government at a UK level, can bring to bear a way through this.”

Leonard said the devolved powers being repatriated which sit with the Scottish Parliament should be returned there when the UK leaves the EU.

His position puts his party at odds with Labour in Wales, which had teamed up with the Scottish Government to refuse granting consent, but last month struck a deal with UK ministers last month.

The Welsh Government’s position was criticised by Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood, who said it was “selling Wales down the river”.

The Scottish Government insists it cannot back the EU Withdrawal Bill, claiming measures within it could leave Holyrood constrained by Westminster for up to seven years.

Both sides have agreed the need to create UK-wide frameworks in some areas but Scottish ministers insist Holyrood’s consent should be formally sought for any changes, while UK ministers say a veto for any part of the UK is a “red line”.