THE SNP has accused the UK government of attempting to hide documents setting out the views of Theresa May and Brexit secretary David Davis on Nicola Sturgeon's plan to keep Scotland in the single market.
The UK government’s Brexit department has refused to release correspondence between Davis and May on the 'Scotland's Place in Europe' proposals from Sturgeon.
A UK government response to a freedom of information response says the information cannot be published as it may "prejudice relations between any administration in the UK and any other such administration”.
Sturgeon's plan stated that devolving powers from Westminster to Holyrood over areas such as immigration, business regulation, and employment rights would allow Scotland to remain in the single market, with responsibilities transferred to Edinburgh.
The SNP said the UK Government's refusal to publish the correspondence between May and Davis showed they were seeking to keep their conversations secret or not taking Sturgeon's proposals seriously.
An SNP spokesperson said: “The SNP Government has put forward compromise proposals to keep Scotland in the single market – which is around eight times bigger than the UK’s alone – but this response suggests the UK Government either aren’t seriously discussing these proposals or want to keep their thoughts secret.
“Either way, there is no excuse for the Tories not to match the SNP in compromising – especially now that we know from a leaked European Parliament memo that Brussels is very open to discussing a special deal for Scotland even if the rest of the UK leaves the single market.”
However, a UK Government spokesperson said it regularly shared information with representatives of the devolved administrations at the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC).
The UK government spokesperson said: "Far from withholding information, we are exchanging our latest thinking and analysis with the Scottish Government through the monthly JMC process and have made clear the proposals in the Scottish Government’s paper will be carefully considered as we form our negotiating position.”
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