A LONG-RUNNING row over plans to appoint more Tory MPs than SNP MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee came to a head last night when the group’s final make-up was confirmed.
Westminster revealed the committee would now be made up of five Tory MPs, two Labour MPs, one LibDem MP and three SNP MPs. The make-up would be an increase of Tory MPs, despite the Conservatives losing seven seats in Scotland at the December election.
Scotland has six Tory MPs and 48 SNP MPs – and just one Labour MP.
READ MORE: Tories ‘block’ key groups of Scottish MPs holding scrutiny role
Last month the UK Government was accused of “dodging scrutiny” by not allowing the Scottish Affairs Committee to reconvene after the December election. Until the official appointments were confirmed last night, chair Pete Wishart was the only member of the body.
The committee exists to scrutinise the activities of the Scotland Office – so the group’s new Tory-heavy make-up has sparked concern.
The plan for the committee was first revealed in February – speaking then SNP MP Wishart said the plan was “certainly not levelling-up Scots representation”.
He added: “It’s unacceptable for the Tories to reward themselves with an extra place when they have lost Scottish MPs.”
🗣️Tonight the @HouseofCommons has appointed the Members who join Chair @PeteWishart on the Scottish Affairs Committee.
— Scottish Affairs Committee (@CommonsScotAffs) May 4, 2020
Here’s the new Committee 👇 pic.twitter.com/j2c2po2kjy
Across Twitter, Scots were furious about the committee’s new make-up.
Upon hearing the news last night, writer Michael Gray wrote: “Scotland elected 48 SNP MPs & just 6 Tory MPs. So the Scottish Affairs Committee has 3 SNP MPs & 5 Tory MPs? Westminster democracy …”
ScotGoesPop blogger James Kelly mocked the situation. He posted: “The SNP have 48 elected Scottish MPs and the Tories have 6, so it's only right and proper that the Tories should have more places on the Scottish Affairs Committee than the SNP. We fought the war for British democracy like this.”
I thought on my first read that this was a joke, but now realise this really is the WM Scottish Affairs Committee. Check out the composition. SNP under represented and English MPs included. I question why @theSNP should even legitimise this democratic outrage by participating. https://t.co/5VrcRGoyNz
— AndrewRichmond (@arichmondScot) May 4, 2020
Another Twitter user, Andrew Richmond, questioned whether the SNP should be involved in the committee given the odd balance. He wrote: “ thought on my first read that this was a joke, but now realise this really is the WM Scottish Affairs Committee. Check out the composition. SNP under represented and English MPs included. I question why @theSNP should even legitimise this democratic outrage by participating.”
The SNP MPs on the committee include Pete Wishart, Mhairi Black and Deidre Brock. The Tories are Andrew Bowie, David Duguid, Sally-Ann Hart, Alberto Costa and John Lamont, while the Labour representatives are Liz Twist and Jon Cruddas. The LibDems are represented by Wendy Chamberlain.
Four of the 11 MPs on the committee do not represent constituencies in Scotland.
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