Joint EU Exit Debate

The Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales will today vote simultaneously on a motion declaring opposition to the damaging EU exit deal agreed by the UK Government.

The motion states that a No Deal outcome would also be completely unacceptable and calls for an extension to Article 50 to find the best way forward to protect Scotland, Wales and the UK as a whole.

Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell said: “This is an unprecedented event: the first time in 20 years of devolution that the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales have debated the same motion simultaneously.

“We are taking this historic step to send a strong message to the UK Government that it must stop pursuing such a disastrous course of action.

“The Prime Minister’s deal will cause major, lasting damage to jobs, living standards and public services such as the NHS and should be voted down. The UK Government must also stop using the threat of a catastrophic No Deal outcome to blackmail the UK Parliament into accepting her deeply damaging plans.

“An extension that stops the clock on Brexit would allow time for agreement to be reached on a better way forward, which the Scottish Government believes should be a second EU referendum with Remain on the ballot paper.”