Scotland must become independent to protect the gains of devolution, according to the Deputy First Minister

John Swinney is to tell the SNP’s annual conference today that devolution is under threat from the Tories at Westminster.

In a speech to the party conference held on-line again because of covid restrictions he will say that Brexit is being used to undermine the Scottish Parliament.

He 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.”

Swinney will say the Internal Market Bill gives the Conservative UK Government “unfettered power to decide the rules of the internal market – and to completely ignore the devolution settlement if they want to.”

He said that devolution is being eroded.
Swinney will say: “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.”

The Deputy First Minister will say “we need to issue a Code Red for Devolution”.
  
Mr Swinney is expected to ask how can the Scottish Parliament ever be protected as long as we remain under Westminster control?

He will say in response to his own question: “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.”