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Johnson insists his Brexit deal is ‘great for Scotland' Brexit: Sturgeon says Commons defeat 'severe blow' to Johnson deal
(about 3 hours later)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted his Brexit deal would be "great" for Scotland as MPs prepare for crucial votes in the House of Commons. MPs putting Boris Johnson's Brexit deal on hold is a "severe blow" to the prime minister, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
MPs are debating the exit deal agreed between UK and EU leaders on Thursday. The Scottish first minister reacted after MPs voted to withhold backing for the agreement negotiated with EU chiefs until exit legislation is passed.
The SNP's Ian Blackford said the deal would see Scotland "shafted" and "left at an economic disadvantage" compared to Northern Ireland. The UK government will now put forward such a bill on Monday, with a view to a decisive vote on it on Tuesday.
But Mr Johnson insisted it was a "great deal" for Scotland and would see the UK "take back control" of fisheries. Ms Sturgeon said the vote was a "severe blow" to Mr Johnson's "plan to bludgeon his bad deal through" the Commons.
The Commons is sitting on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years in a bid to decide the fate of Mr Johnson's deal, although MPs will also consider a proposal to delay Brexit again until all the necessary UK legislation is passed. Mr Johnson said he was "not daunted or dismayed" by the result, and said he still intended for the UK to leave under the terms of his deal on October 31.
Mr Johnson needs to secure 320 votes to get the agreement, which was announced at a European summit on Thursday, through the Commons. However, he is compelled to ask the EU for an extension later today under the terms of legislation previously passed by opposition MPs.
With the Conservatives having lost the backing of the DUP, which has said it cannot support the deal, any vote is likely to be extremely tight. The Commons held a Saturday sitting for the first time in 37 years to consider the exit deal agreed with European leaders earlier in the week.
The SNP's 35 MPs are set to vote against the deal, as are Labour's seven Scottish MPs and the four Lib Dems from north of the border. MPs did not ultimately vote on the deal itself, after they backed a cross-party amendment from former Tory MP Oliver Letwin by 322 votes to 306.
The 13 Scottish Conservative MPs meanwhile look set to back the government, with Scottish Secretary Alister Jack telling the BBC that any Tories who rebel should have the party whip withdrawn. The effect of the amendment is to withhold approval of the deal until legislation to enact it is passed, to prevent the UK from leaving the EU without a deal if there were any delay to the legislation.
The government has now moved to table a withdrawal agreement bill, with Mr Johnson telling MPs: "Next week the government will introduce the legislation needed for us to leave the EU with our new deal on October 31, and I hope that our EU colleagues and friends will not be attracted by delay - I don't think they will be."
Opposition parties are likely to seek to amend the legislation as it goes through the Commons, to include provisions such as a confirmatory referendum.
Ms Sturgeon said the delay meant the deal could be "subjected to real scrutiny", posting on Twitter: "PM sounding deflated and defeated - he knows this is a severe blow to his plan to bludgeon his bad deal through."
Mr Johnson needed 320 votes to get his agreement through the Commons, but was facing an uphill battle after losing the support of the DUP.
While he was backed in the Letwin vote by the 13 Scottish Conservative MPs, the amendment was passed with the backing of the bulk of Labour's members, including seven from Scottish seats, the 35 SNP MPs, and the four Lib Dems from north of the border.
The prime minister now faces the prospect of having to write to European leaders requesting a fresh extension to the Brexit deadline, under the terms of the "Benn Act" passed by MPs in September.
Mr Johnson was warned that he could end up in a Scottish court on Monday if he refuses to send the letter.
Court of Session judges said they could meet to examine the question of whether to use the court's powers to effectively sign the letter on Mr Johnson's behalf.
There were clashes in the Commons before the debate proper even began, with the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford branding Mr Johnson's effort "even worse than Theresa May's deal", which was rejected by MPs on three occasions.There were clashes in the Commons before the debate proper even began, with the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford branding Mr Johnson's effort "even worse than Theresa May's deal", which was rejected by MPs on three occasions.
He said the prime minister "didn't even consider giving Scotland a fair deal".He said the prime minister "didn't even consider giving Scotland a fair deal".
Mr Blackford added: "This is a deal that would see Scotland shafted by this UK government, left at an economic disadvantage, with Scotland's views and interests totally disregarded by this prime minister and his government.Mr Blackford added: "This is a deal that would see Scotland shafted by this UK government, left at an economic disadvantage, with Scotland's views and interests totally disregarded by this prime minister and his government.
"He and his cronies in Number 10 don't care about Scotland - this Tory government has sold Scotland out and once again let Scotland down.""He and his cronies in Number 10 don't care about Scotland - this Tory government has sold Scotland out and once again let Scotland down."
Mr Johnson replied that he had sealed "a great deal" for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.Mr Johnson replied that he had sealed "a great deal" for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Final deal on offer
He said: "For the people of Scotland, they now have the chance, championed by wonderful Scottish Conservative MPs, to take back control of their fisheries from the end of next year and allow the people of Scotland at last to enjoy the benefits of their spectacular marine wealth - in a way they would be denied under the SNP, who would hand back control of Scottish fishing to Brussels."He said: "For the people of Scotland, they now have the chance, championed by wonderful Scottish Conservative MPs, to take back control of their fisheries from the end of next year and allow the people of Scotland at last to enjoy the benefits of their spectacular marine wealth - in a way they would be denied under the SNP, who would hand back control of Scottish fishing to Brussels."
In response to further questions from SNP members, the prime minister insisted that the deal would be "greatly to the benefit of people in Scotland". The latest proposal removes the much-disputed "backstop" proposals for the Irish border post-Brexit, and would instead see Northern Ireland remain in the UK's customs territory - while adhering to a limited set of EU rules on goods. Representatives in Northern Ireland would be able to decide whether to continue this arrangement every four years.
Letwin amendment
Without the backing of the DUP, which has said it cannot support the revised bill, the vote is likely to be extremely tight.
However, the decisive vote on the deal itself may be put off, after Speaker John Bercow selected an amendment from former Tory MP Oliver Letwin which could see MPs agree to delay Brexit until all the UK's exit legislation has been agreed.
Downing Street has threatened to postpone the vote on the revised deal if the amendment is passed.
Amendments tabled by SNP MPs seeking to delay Brexit in favour of a general election were not selected for debate.
Opposition leaders voiced opposition to Mr Johnson's proposals at the beginning of Saturday's session, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saying the deal was "even worse" than that agreed by Theresa May and that his MPs "will not be duped".
But speaking on Friday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she feared "nods and winks" were being given to Labour rebels to "allow Boris Johnson to get his deal over the line", saying such a move would be the "end" of the party in Scotland.
She repeated her warning against this on Saturday, saying: "Johnson has broken virtually every past promise he has made on Brexit. How anyone could believe promises he makes now on workers' rights or anything else is beyond me.
"'Caveat emptor' should be the words ringing in ears of any Labour MP thinking of backing this deal."
In an interview with BBC Scotland's The Nine, Alister Jack admitted the vote would be "very close".
The Scottish Secretary also confirmed that there would be no border checks at Cairnryan under the terms of the deal - they would be at Larne and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
He added that he would like to see any Tory rebels who fail to back the deal have the whip taken away from them.
Twenty-one MPs were expelled from the parliamentary Conservative party after they rebelled against the government in a bid to prevent a no-deal Brexit in September.
"It's a decision for the prime minister and the chief whip but I think we should treat everyone equally and what's good for the goose is good for the gander," said Mr Jack, a former whip.
'Fair and balanced'
Mr Johnson said the "great new deal" would see the UK "take back control of our laws, borders, money and trade without disruption".
It removes the much-disputed "backstop" proposals for the Irish border post-Brexit, and would instead see Northern Ireland remain in the UK's customs territory - while adhering to a limited set of EU rules on goods. Representatives in Northern Ireland would be able to decide whether to continue this arrangement every four years.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it was a "fair and balanced agreement" - and suggested that it was the final deal on offer, saying there would be "no other prolongation".European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it was a "fair and balanced agreement" - and suggested that it was the final deal on offer, saying there would be "no other prolongation".
Ms Sturgeon rejected this, saying: "The alternative to this deal is the Benn Act, which would require an extension request. That's the law of the land. So anybody who says that it's a choice between this deal and no deal is frankly not being straight with people." Ms Sturgeon has rejected this, saying: "The alternative to this deal is the Benn Act, which would require an extension request. That's the law of the land. So anybody who says that it's a choice between this deal and no deal is frankly not being straight with people."