Stone to lead debate urging Scottish Government to cooperate with Westminster

Jamie Stone, MP for Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross, will lead a backbench business debate on devolution in Scotland, scheduled in the House of Commons on Wednesday 22nd October.

In his speech, Mr Stone will warn the SNP have used independence as a distraction from the realities of their failures as a government and called for both governments to usher in a "new era of cooperation" in the face of growing threats abroad.

The debate, which received cross party support and was selected by the Backbench Business Committee, will assess the efficiency of the current structure of devolution and intergovernmental relations within the UK, 25 years on from the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Stone was a founding member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention – responsible for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, and is currently the only MP in the UK Parliament whose name is on the Claim of Right - a document which acknowledged the sovereignty of the Scottish people and signalled the movement towards devolution. Consequently, Mr Stone has been elected to and served in both the Scottish and UK Parliaments.

Commenting, Mr Stone said:

“I am delighted to have been granted time in the Chamber for such an important debate that holds huge significance for the whole House - both here in Westminster and in Holyrood.

“In recent years, the question of independence has been exhausted by the SNP - used as a distraction from the realities of their failures as a government. The people of Scotland had their say in the 2014 referendum and the result was a vote to stay in the union - that is the reality whether the SNP want to accept it or not.

“That is why this debate is entirely necessary. We are still one union and it is in everyone's best interest to make it a fruitful partnership, which uses our shared resources to make the lives of all those living in the UK better. Differences need to be put aside and a constructive debate on how to improve intergovernmental relationships must be had.

“I’ve had the privilege of serving as both an MSP and an MP. Both parliaments can learn something from the other about effective governance structures and we should all be doing more to understand how to make our union more workable.

“The animosity between Westminster and Holyrood since the SNP came to power has overridden and jeopardised countless chances of doing this in the last twenty years. It is my hope that this debate, and the forthcoming Scottish elections next year will help usher in a new era of cooperation in the face of growing threats abroad.”