British PM May urges successor to strengthen the union of nations

 

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the media ahead of a European Union leaders summit that aims to select candidates for top EU institution jobs, in Brussels, Belgium June 30, 2019. REUTERS/Johanna Geron

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May will urge her successor on Thursday to strengthen the bonds between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in a veiled criticism of those in her party who are widely thought to preferBrexit to the union.

 

Both of the candidates to replace May, former London mayor Boris Johnson and foreign minister Jeremy Hunt, say they want to strengthen the union of the United Kingdom's four nations.

 

But they also say they are willing to take Britain out of the European Union without a deal if no agreement can be reached with the bloc, which other ministers say could make Scottish independence more likely.

 

In a speech in Scotland in the dying days of her premiership, May will mark 20 years of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by saying she believed her successor would build on the work done to strengthen the union's ties.

 

"The job of prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland brings with it privileges and responsibilities which you only really feel once the black door closes behind you," she will say, referring to the door of her Downing Street official residence.

 

"One of the first and greatest is the duty you owe to strengthen the Union - to govern on behalf of the whole United Kingdom," she will say, according to excerpts of her speech released by her office.

 

May's successor will take up his role later this month and the first task will be to try to break the impasse in parliament overBrexit and end the uncertainty over whether, when and how Britain will leave the EU.

 

Johnson and Hunt have said they want to secure an agreement with the EU to deliver a smooth Brexit to minimise the disruption to businesses.

 

But if no agreement can be reached, both have said they would trigger a no-deal Brexit - something that some ministers say could fuel demands for a second independence referendum in Scotland, which voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 vote.

 

An opinion poll published in June showed a majority of Conservative Party members - who will make the final decision on Britain's next prime minister - would accept losing Scotland from the United Kingdom as long as Brexit is delivered.

 

Calls for a new independence referendum in Scotland have grown since the Brexit vote. Scotland rejected independence by a 55-45% majority in a 2014 referendum.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-04

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Stuff the union strengthen the pound its a basket case????

Discussed during last nights Peston:

 

7 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Stuff the union strengthen the pound its a basket case????

The same opinion poll said that 61% would also be willing to countenance significant economic damage done to the British economy in order to leave the EU and 54% would be willing to countenance the destruction of their own party if necessary.

 

Yes, they really are that stupid...

 

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2019/06/18/most-conservative-members-would-see-party-destroye

 

 

Brexit, unwanted in Scotland; Tories in general unwanted in Scotland; Johnson and Hunt loathed in equal measures in Scotland - what hand does May think she can play that will turn half the country around? 

2 hours ago, mrfill said:

The same opinion poll said that 61% would also be willing to countenance significant economic damage done to the British economy in order to leave the EU and 54% would be willing to countenance the destruction of their own party if necessary.

 

Yes, they really are that stupid...

 

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2019/06/18/most-conservative-members-would-see-party-destroye

 

 

They might even hand Johnson the keys to number 10 - they really are obsessed. 

Message to May. Just shut up and go away.

2 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Brexit, unwanted in Scotland; Tories in general unwanted in Scotland; Johnson and Hunt loathed in equal measures in Scotland - what hand does May think she can play that will turn half the country around? 

 

Roughly 48% of those who voted in the advisory referendum voted to remain. 52% voted to leave. On a 72% turnout.

 

Not having detailed winning margins necessary and lack of detail on what and how "leave" might look like and its options was a massive Tory cock up. They've gone from worse to worse on cock-ups since. Nothing to suggest their choice of leader and therefore PM will be anything but a cock-up.

 

 

 

 

23 hours ago, webfact said:

In a speech in Scotland in the dying days of her premiership, May will mark 20 years of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by saying she believed her successor would build on the work done to strengthen the union's ties.

And isn't it taking forever to die!

 

 

15 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Brexit, unwanted in Scotland; Tories in general unwanted in Scotland; Johnson and Hunt loathed in equal measures in Scotland - what hand does May think she can play that will turn half the country around? 

Quite, the comments are a bit rich as she is the one that has created divisions that have effectively gone past the point of no return.

An interesting few weeks lie ahead, with some suggestions that, if Brexit was the beginning of the end, the UK Gov taking the Scottish Gov to the Supreme Court on 24th and 25th July may be the end of the end.

 

The theory goes like this - under the Treaty of the Act of Union of 1707, Scots law has primacy in Scotland and cannot be subjugated. Last year the Scottish Parliament passed the EU Continuity Bill, which entered into Scots law, and which sought to protect the devolution settlement by ensuring that all powers returning from the EU which were for devolved matters, must be immediately transferred to Holyrood. 

 

The UK gov objects to this because they state that in order to create unified trade deals, they need full control of many of these issues which are currently devolved - farming, fishing, forestry, food safety etc. Therefore they are going to take the Scottish Gov to the Supreme Court on 24th July in an attempt to overturn the EU Continuity Bill.

 

This is where it gets interesting. The Supreme Court works within English law so if they attempt to overturn a Holyrood law, this would, effectively, be a breach of the Treaty of Act of Union because Scots Law has been subjugated. The suggestion is that this could be cause for the Scottish Gov to move to dissolve the Act of Union (and thus the UK) without the need for indyref2.

 

Alternatively, if the SC concedes that they do not have primacy over Scots Law, this leaves the UK Gov in a bind because they will not be in a position to make those much promised trade deals for the whole of the UK unless they get a compliant Scottish Gov - something that looks unlikely any time soon.

2 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

The theory goes like this - under the Treaty of the Act of Union of 1707, Scots law has primacy in Scotland and cannot be subjugated.

Does that apply only to Scottish Law laid down  before the Act of Union, or to subsequent laws passed by the devolved government with the intention of frustrating the government of the United Kingdom?

48 minutes ago, JAG said:

Does that apply only to Scottish Law laid down  before the Act of Union, or to subsequent laws passed by the devolved government with the intention of frustrating the government of the United Kingdom?

The Treaty of Act of Union endures - it is as simple as that. In fact, since 1707, Scots Law has continued to be developed in parallel to English Law, so many new laws were introduced since 1707, mostly before the reconvening of the the Scottish parliament. 

Which particular laws, passed by Holyrood, are you referring to which are intended to frustrate the workings of the UK government? 

Her last-minute anxiety is pretty rich. She should have addressed this from the start, not at the end. The damage has been done on her watch as a result of her approach.

7 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

The Treaty of Act of Union endures - it is as simple as that. In fact, since 1707, Scots Law has continued to be developed in parallel to English Law, so many new laws were introduced since 1707, mostly before the reconvening of the the Scottish parliament. 

Which particular laws, passed by Holyrood, are you referring to which are intended to frustrate the workings of the UK government? 

The EU Continuity Bill?

 

Returning to your initial post: The Supreme Court of The United Kingdom has jurisdiction over "Devolution Matters", so I rather fail to see how it's rulings can be said to be breaking the Act of Union. Any succession as a result of the courts possible ruling would surely be an illegal act.

 

I'll add a caveat - as an Englishman, frankly, if the Scottish Government wishes to break away, and is prepared to do so notwithstanding the result of the referendum on Scottish Independence, then this will be as good an excuse as any. They are very clearly, under the leadership of Ms Sturgeon, determined to break the union, they may as well get on with it - after all they are going to do so sooner or later so we may as well get it over with! If the Scottish people want it, then they get their wish, if they don't want it, then they can sort out their own government. I, and I suspect a very large number of my fellow countrymen, are fed up with it, and don't really care any more.

9 minutes ago, JAG said:

The EU Continuity Bill?

 

Returning to your initial post: The Supreme Court of The United Kingdom has jurisdiction over "Devolution Matters", so I rather fail to see how it's rulings can be said to be breaking the Act of Union. Any succession as a result of the courts possible ruling would surely be an illegal act.

 

I'll add a caveat - as an Englishman, frankly, if the Scottish Government wishes to break away, and is prepared to do so notwithstanding the result of the referendum on Scottish Independence, then this will be as good an excuse as any. They are very clearly, under the leadership of Ms Sturgeon, determined to break the union, they may as well get on with it - after all they are going to do so sooner or later so we may as well get it over with! If the Scottish people want it, then they get their wish, if they don't want it, then they can sort out their own government. I, and I suspect a very large number of my fellow countrymen, are fed up with it, and don't really care any more.

Why do you think that the EU continuity bill is an attack on the UK government? That is hugely narcissistic, if you don't mind me saying so.

 

The SG is charged with looking after the best interests of Scotland and the Scottish people. They have the authority and the competency to create and enact the laws necessary to do so. They recognise that neither Brexit nor a Westminster power grab would be in the best interests of Scotland or Scots and so have taken steps to protect us from the latter - the former being thrust upon us despite our overwhelming rejection of it. Simply because it is not what England or Wales wants does not mean that the EU Continuity Bill was derived to frustrate either country and it is rather simplistic to suggest otherwise.

 

With regards the Supreme Court's competency, this is not a devolution matter per se. The competency of the SG is already clear and the EU Continuity Bill is a perfectly legitimate law within the competency of the Scottish Parliament. The Supreme Court would therefore be interfering with Scots Law rather than, as I think you suggest, deliberating on whether the Scottish Government had the competency to make such a law. 

Things are so bad in the Tory party and they have lost so many members they are giving members two votes...

 

Quote

Some Conservative members have been issued with more than one ballot paper to vote for the next party leader and prime minister, the BBC has learned.

One party insider estimated that more than a thousand voters could be affected.

Members are warned that voting twice will mean they are expelled, the Conservatives said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48890803

 

48 minutes ago, Basil B said:

Things are so bad in the Tory party and they have lost so many members they are giving members two votes...

 

 

We truly are in desperate times!

45 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

We truly are in desperate times!

Well the Tory party is... 

Do your really think they want to search out those who voted twice???

What is more concerning:

Quote

Downing Street attempted to withhold sensitive intelligence from Boris Johnson when he became foreign secretary, the BBC has learned.

It is understood Theresa May and some in the intelligence community had worries about Mr Johnson's ability to keep information confidential.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48874147

They must have had good cause, why in hell was he ever considered fit for cabinet in the first place???

This is significant - the first time I can recall a senior member of the Labour Party suggesting that the union was not sacrosanct.

Wales' support for union 'not unconditional' First Minister Mark Drakeford says