SCOTLAND and Wales are to boycott a ministerial video conference with the UK after a Brexit extension was refused before a letter from the Scottish Government had even reached No 10.

Scottish and Welsh Brexit ministers Michael Russell and Jeremy Miles put out a joint statement after Michael Gove refused a Brexit extension without their input.

They said they will not take part in a call with Paymaster General Penny Mourdant on Friday night in preparation for UK-EU meeting on Monday.

The statement said: "We cannot accept a way of working in which the views of the devolved governments are simply dismissed before we have had a chance to discuss them. In reality, the meetings we have had have simply been an opportunity for the UK Government to inform us of their views, not to listen or respond to ours. 

"We will be writing to Michael Gove to seek a complete re-boot of these talks and meanwhile we want the EU 27 to know that the position being taken by the UK Government with regard to an extension of the transition period runs counter to the views of our governments and, in our opinion, risks doing serious damage to the people of our countries. 

"Failing to request an extension at this time is a particularly reckless act given the damage coronavirus is doing to the economy and the impact on jobs." 

It comes as Michel Barnier, the European Commission’s chief trade negotiator said he is “willing to listen” to any request for a Scotland-only extension to the current transition period.

His intervention followed former First Minister Henry McLeish urging Nicola Sturgeon to seek an extension if the UK Government continues to insist it will not do so.

He agreed with the assessment that a No-deal Brexit would hamper the country’s recovery from the pandemic and that such a move would be highly damaging.

READ MORE: EU 'willing to listen' to case for Scottish Brexit extension

A Scottish-wide extension move would allow the country to remain in the single market and customs union once the current transition period ends on December 31 this year – and if the rest of the UK moves to trade on WTO rules.

Asked if the EU would consider a request for a Scotland-only extension to the implementation period, Barnier’s spokesman told The National the Commission was “willing to listen” but that negotiations had to respect the UK constitutional arrangements (under which the member state is the UK).

“The European Commission is willing to listen to a variety of institutional players and stakeholders.

“But negotiations will only take place with the UK Government, in full respect of the internal constitutional arrangements of the UK,” he said.