THE Tory Government has been blasted for failing to work with the Scottish Government over Brexit.

A damning new report by Westminster’s Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, says the UK Government should have done more to consult with the governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff following the vote to leave the EU.

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The cross-party committee of MPs say the mechanism for how the governments talk to each other is “not fit for purpose”.

The report said: “It is highly regrettable that there was little consultation with devolved governments in advance of the publication of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, as earlier consultation could have possibly avoided much of the acrimony that was created between the UK Government and the devolved governments.”

The committee also criticised Whitehall, saying the civil service of the UK Government “still operates extensively on the basis of a structure and culture which take little account of the realities of devolution in the UK”.

Scottish Brexit minister Michael Russell said it was “astonishing” that 20 years on from the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, “training is still required within the UK Government to understand how devolution works”. He added: “But more than training is needed. The Scottish Government has already said there needs to be a requirement in law for the Scottish Parliament’s consent before Westminster legislates on devolved issues.”

SNP MP Ronnie Cowan, who sits on the committee, said: “This latest report highlights the lack of trust, confidence and the divisions within the UK Government itself – as well as a system of inter-governmental relations in the UK which is simply not fit for purpose in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum.

“What we are witnessing is a blatant Westminster power grab after twenty years of devolution. It is the arrogance of the Tories who think they can rip up the devolution settlement and transfer powers to Westminster. The fact that the committee is now questioning whether the Scotland Office and the office of Secretary of State are necessary is a humiliation for David Mundell who has clearly failed to justify his job.”

He added: “If this is the same management style that has been adopted while engaging with the EU 27 then it is no wonder the negotiations are in the shambolic state that they are.’’

Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie said the report was a “powerful rebuke to those who think the only way is separation and division”.

He added: “If Brexit goes ahead there will be dozens of common frameworks for policy put in place. It is urgent for the committee’s recommendations to be enacted to allow all the governments to work together.

“The prize will be a UK which has decentralised and devolved power but which can still work as a whole when the issues affect everyone across these islands.”

Meanwhile, a new poll showed that an incredible 78% of people in Britain think the government is doing badly on Brexit. That’s a new high.

According to the poll, which was carried out by Sky Data for Sky News, 50% of people support a second referendum with the public being asked to choose between leaving the EU with the deal suggested by the government, leaving the EU without a deal, and not leaving the EU.

Another 40% said they were against and 10% said they didn’t know. Asked to choose between those options, not leaving the EU would be the preferred option for 48%, with 27% preferring to leave the EU with no deal, and 13% choosing the government deal.

Some 8% said they would not vote and 3% said they don’t know.

Responding to the results of the poll, Lord Mandelson – who is a director of the Open Britain group who run the People’s Vote campaign for another referendum – told Sky News: “The only way to give democratic legitimacy to the final deal, and to get approval from the public is to put it to such a vote.”