SNP conference: Swinney claims Johnson wants to 'take back powers'

John Swinney address SNP activists at an online conference

Boris Johnson secretly wants to take back powers from the UK's devolved parliaments, Scotland's deputy first minister has told the SNP conference.

John Swinney urged delegates to "stand up and be counted before it's too late" to defend devolution.

His comments were dismissed as "simply nonsense" by the UK government.

The conference, which is being held online, started on Friday and will end with SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon's speech on Monday.

In his virtual speech on Saturday afternoon, Mr Swinney told members that the UK government wanted "unfettered Westminster control on Scotland" and was using Brexit to undermine devolution.

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He argued that "the only way to keep the gains of devolution is by becoming independent" and suggested that decisions made at Holyrood "can be routinely undermined at a whim by the Tories".

Mr Swinney said: "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.

"Through the Internal Market Act, the Tories have given themselves unfettered power to decide the rules of the internal market - and to completely ignore the devolution settlement if they want to."

The UK government denies that Mr Johnson wishes to reverse the devolution settlement

Claiming that the prime minister could wish to reverse devolution, Mr Swinney added: "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.

"Much like the climate emergency, which is slowly creeping up on us every single day - we need to issue a code red for devolution.

"All of us who care so deeply about the Scottish Parliament and its role in Scottish public life need to stand up and be counted before it is too late."

'Simply nonsense'

The conference featured debates on issues including children's rights, street harassment against women and an independent Scottish civil service on Saturday.

Responding to Ms Swinney's remarks, a UK government spokeswoman said: "This is simply nonsense.

"The Internal Market Bill ensures that vital trade can continue seamlessly between all four corners of the UK.

"Now more than ever, people in Scotland want to see the UK and Scottish governments working together to protect lives and livelihoods.

"The pandemic, and our collective response - from the furlough scheme to vaccine procurement and the backing of our military personnel - has shown that we are at our strongest when we work together."