‘CODE red for devolution” – John Swinney will today urge Scots to defend Holyrood’s powers from a hollowing out by Boris Johnson’s Conservative government.

Scotland’s Parliament faces a creeping emergency, Swinney claims, and “all of us who care so deeply about the Scottish Parliament and its role in Scottish public life need to stand up and be counted – before it is too late”.

The call will come at the SNP conference today as the Deputy First Minister seeks to put renewed emphasis on his party’s independence drive.

The Perthshire politician has held the Scottish Government role since 2014 and will tell SNP members that devolution is “quietly being filleted” by the Westminster administration thanks to legislation including the controversial Internal Market Act.

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Brought in as a result of EU withdrawal, that act “directly constrains devolution”, Swinney’s government says, allowing the UK Government to take decisions in devolved policy areas like health.

In a speech set to take place just weeks away from the anniversary of the transition period’s end, Swinney is expected to say: “We are now seeing a concerted attack on our parliament from the very people who fought tooth and nail against it being established in the first place.

“In a grotesque irony, the Tories are using something that the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly against – Brexit – to undermine something they voted overwhelmingly for – the Scottish Parliament. Through the Internal Market Act, The Tories have given themselves unfettered power to decide the rules of the internal market – and to completely ignore the devolution settlement if they want to.

“There will be no sudden ‘big bang’ moment. Boris Johnson is not going to stand up and announce to the cheering Tory faithful that he is dismantling the devolution settlement – much as I am sure he would like to. But make no mistake; piece by piece, devolution is quietly being filleted – hollowed out from the inside by a Tory party which has always opposed the idea of anything other than unfettered Westminster control on Scotland.

“Much like the climate emergency, which is slowly creeping up on us every single day, we need to issue a ‘code red for devolution’. All of us who care so deeply about the Scottish Parliament and its role in Scottish public life need to stand up and be counted – before it is too late.”

Today marks the second day of the SNP conference, which is taking place online as a result of continued public health concerns around Covid. It will continue until Monday afternoon, when Nicola Sturgeon will deliver her address. Ian Blackford, the party’s Westminster leader, will speak tomorrow.

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All are expected to make independence central to their messages. For Swinney, this will mean asking how Holyrood can be protected within the Union “ if everyday decisions taken by our elected Scottish Parliament can be routinely undermined at a whim” .

He will say: “The answer is that it cannot. There is no status quo; the only way to stop Scotland going backwards on the constitutional journey is by moving forwards. The only way to keep the gains of devolution is by becoming independent.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “This is simply nonsense. The Internal Market Bill ensures that vital trade can continue seamlessly between all four corners of the UK. Now more than ever, people in Scotland want to see the UK and Scottish Governments working together to protect lives and livelihoods.

“The pandemic, and our collective response – from the furlough scheme to vaccine procurement and the backing of our military personnel – has shown that we are at our strongest when we work together.”