THE SNP’s Westminster leader has condemned Boris Johnson for his ‘morally repugnant’ legal challenge against the Scottish Government.
Ian Blackford called on the Prime Minister to withdraw the challenges and accused his government of “robbing children of their rights in Scotland”.
His remarks at Prime Minister’s Questions today come after MSPs unanimously approved bills relating to children’s rights and local government last month.
However the UK Government is concerned that the legislation could place obligations on them and is outwith the competence of Holyrood’s devolved powers.
Two bills have been referred to the UK Supreme Court for judgement.
READ MORE: UK Government refers two Holyrood Bills to Supreme Court
Mr Blackford said: “We have an SNP Scottish government delivering the baby box, doubling the Scottish child payment and providing free school meals to every primary school child.
“At the same time this Tory government is robbing children of their rights in Scotland, quite simply, Mr Speaker.
“The SNP Scottish Government has, and will continue to work to ensure Scotland is the best place for a child to grow up.
“This legal challenge threatens that. It is wrong and it is morally repugnant Prime Minister.
“Will the Prime Minister committed to withdrawing his legal challenge today?
"If not, we'll see you in court.”
Mr Johnson replied that the best thing the SNP could do for children is to “improve their shameful record on education and tackle the issues that matter to the people of Scotland”
He said: “To tackle the tax regime that they put in place, to do better on fighting crime and drug addiction in Scotland.
“They should be looking at the issues that really matter, in my view, to the people of Scotland, and instead they're going into the elections next month yet again on a campaign to break up this country.
“That's all they can think of, break up this country, call for a referendum, break up this country, destroy our country, and call a referendum in a way that I think is completely irresponsible at a very difficult time, where we want to bounce back stronger together.”
The Prime Minister also faced questions over the lobbying scandal involving David Cameron and Greensill Capital from Labour leader Keir Starmer.
Mr Starmer said that every day there is further evidence of sleaze “at the heart” of the Government.
He told MPs: “I know the Prime Minister is launching an inquiry, that inquiry isn’t even looking at the lobbying rules.
“I’m not sure it’s looking at very much at all because every day there’s further evidence of the sleaze that’s now at the heart of this Conservative Government.”
He added: “Does the Prime Minister accept there’s a revolving door, indeed an open door, between his Conservative Government and paid lobbyists?”
Boris Johnson responded: “This is a Government and a party that has been consistently tough on lobbying and indeed we introduced legislation saying that there should be no taxpayer-funded lobbying, that quangos should not be used to get involved with lobbying.
“We put in a register for lobbyists and there’s one party that actually voted to repeal the 2014 Lobbying Act and that was the Labour Party in their historic 2019 election manifesto.”
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