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Cross-party consensus develops over authority to refuse consent to Human Rights Act abolition

A REFUSAL by the Scottish Parliament to grant legislative consent to the abolition of the Human Rights Act would be respected by the Scottish Conservatives, it has emerged.

A spokesperson for the party, following questions on a legislative consent motion, told CommonSpace: “While we will push for the repeal to apply in Scotland through debate in the Scottish Parliament, of course if any vote goes against us we will respect that.”

The Scottish Government has confirmed that it will refuse to support a change in the legislation, which would lead to complicated legal wrangling over the Scotland Act 1998 and could restrict access in Scotland to the European Court of Human Rights.

Conservative leader in Scotland, Ruth Davidson MSP, referred on Twitter last night to the Tory manifesto, claiming: “P.65 states Holyrood has final say on any rights change”.

“While we will push for the repeal to apply in Scotland through debate in the Scottish Parliament, of course if any vote goes against us we will respect that.” Scottish Conservatives

The Scottish Tory position suggests a different emphasis on human rights legislation compared to its London counterparts, as well as its Dumfriesshire MP and Scottish Secretary David Mundell, who said on Monday that the Act would be repealed for the whole of the UK.

David Clegg, political editor at the Daily Record, reported that the Tories couldn’t find a single MSP willing to write in support of scrapping the Human Rights Act.

Ruth Davidson also supported Amnesty International’s “Scotland stands for human rights” campaign.

A spokesperson for the Conservatives in Scotland told CommonSpace: “As is made clear in our manifesto, the Scottish Parliament will retain the final say on the role of the Human Rights Act in relation to issues which fall within its authority.

“This is part and parcel of our desire to ensure the powers of the devolved Scottish Parliament are respected.

“And while we will push for the repeal to apply in Scotland through debate in the Scottish Parliament, of course if any vote goes against us we will respect that.”

Further information on how abolishing the Human Rights Act could impact Scotland and how the Scottish Government will take forward its opposition the move is expected to come on 27 May, when the Queen’s Speech is delivered.

Picture courtesy of Richard Potts