SCOTTISH Labour are set to reject Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal at Holyrood , despite the party backing the agreement at Westminster.
The proposal, struck at the last-minute over Christmas, is to be debated in both the UK and Scottish parliaments tomorrow.
Keir Starmer is expected to set up a three-line whip to instruct his party’s MPs to vote in favour of the deal. However, it has now emerged Richard Leonard’s MSPs are intent on opposing it at Holyrood.
He described the deal agreed by the UK Government as “half-baked”.
“Boris Johnson promised more than a year ago that he would ‘get Brexit done’, and that his deal was ‘oven ready’ – yet his shambolic Government is racing to ratify its half-baked Brexit deal the day before the end of the transition period," Leonard said.
“There is no co-production here; no engagement with industry, trade unions or devolved governments on the terms of this trade deal, and barely any parliamentary scrutiny let alone public participation.
“It is our duty to stand up for Scotland in Parliament tomorrow.
“But it is also our duty to protect Scottish businesses and jobs from the damage that this deal will do, and that means the SNP Government must distribute the £300 million of Barnett consequentials to businesses as soon as possible.
“We cannot lose sight of the fact that our economy is still in the depths of another crisis that the SNP left Scotland unprepared for. It’s time for a national plan for the Scottish economy.”
The SNP, Scottish Greens and Scottish LibDems are also expected to refuse consent to the Brexit trade deal in tomorrow’s vote, meaning Holyrood is likely to withhold its approval. Only the Scottish Tories are backing it.
READ MORE: Here's how every Westminster party will vote on Boris Johnson's Brexit deal
However, Scottish Labour’s only MP has argued vociferously in favour of Johnson’s trade agreement.
Ian Murray, who accused the SNP of backing No Deal, wrote on Twitter yesterday: “My constituents and I are overwhelmingly against, and would be harmed by, a No-Deal Brexit – so I will NOT vote for no deal.”
Labour’s support for the proposal was branded “foolish in the extreme but unsurprising” by the SNP’s Joanna Cherry.
Responding to the news that Scottish Labour would be opposing the Brexit deal in tomorrow’s debate, SNP MP David Linden highlighted the dilemma for Murray.
So, what whip does @IanMurrayMP take? @scottishlabour or @UKLabour? 🤷🏻♂️ https://t.co/68FbH97oUA
— David Linden MP (@DavidLinden) December 29, 2020
SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth added: “We already know that Scotland’s only Labour MP will bow down to his imperial masters.”
Labour also came under fire from the Scottish Tories.
Douglas Ross wrote: “Given the choice to back a trade deal or vote with the SNP, is anyone really surprised that Scottish Labour are set to line up behind the Nationalists?”
Jackson Carlaw added: "Can the last unionist left in Scottish Labour turn the lights off on their way out."
Can the last unionist left in Scottish Labour turn the lights off on their way out. https://t.co/adWi8rbSuK
— Jackson Carlaw MSP (@Jackson_Carlaw) December 29, 2020
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon hits back at ‘Better Together’ allies over Brexit deal vote
Earlier, Nicola Sturgeon hit back at suggestions the SNP are backing No Deal by voting against Johnson’s agreement with Brussels.
She tweeted: “Tory/Labour view is that all Scotland can aspire to is a ‘choice’ between a terrible deal we didn’t vote for and ‘no deal’ we didn’t vote for, and even then our view only counts if it accords with Westminster’s. No thanks. Time to build a future based on what Scotland votes for.”
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