Scottish Tory MSPs have hit out after a Conservative lord said that devolution should be put '"into reverse".
David Frost wrote in a piece for The Telegraph that "it's time to reverse the process" of devolution. This provoked outrage amongst Scots Tory MSPs who called it "nonsense" and said it "threatens to undo" the work Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has done in Scotland.
Former Brexit Secretary Frost wrote that "The SNP’s implosion is a chance to put failing devolution into reverse. The Section 35 decision must be only the first step in a determined campaign to reverse the many mis-steps of recent years... It's very obvious that riding the tiger of Scottish nationalism has nearly seen the UK dismembered and gobbled up."
He continued: "Not only must no more powers be devolved to Scotland, it's time to reverse the process... Ministers should make clear that, if re-elected, they will review and roll back some currently devolved powers. In particular, Scotland does not need to be an independent actor on the world stage; it should not be able to legislate to disrupt free trade within the UK; and it does not need to have most tax-raising powers currently available to it."
Frost's piece provoked anger amongst Scottish Tories. Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser shared Frost's article in a tweet and said: "This is nonsense. Devolution has allowed us to shine a light on SNP failures. The Conservatives will not be rolling it back."
Central Scotland MSP Stephen Kerr also tweeted, saying: "Strongly disagree with this article. A poor Scottish Government isn't justification to roll back devolution, any more than issues at the UK Government are justification for Scottish separation. Devolution works. It's the SNP that are failing.
"Lord Frost's contribution threatens to undo much of the excellent work the UK Government under Rishi Sunak has done in Scotland. The PM has taken Scottish issues seriously (The First Minister was one of his first calls on taking office), and supports freeports & Scottish industry."
Frost's article has been jumped on by other Scottish parties.
SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn said: "The Tory mask has slipped. It's clear Westminster's repeated attacks on Scotland are a deliberate, co-ordinated attempt to reverse devolution, roll-back the powers of the Scottish Parliament and force Scotland under Westminster control.
"With the pro-Brexit Labour Party working with the Tories to block devolution and deny Scotland's democratic right to choose our own future - independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe.
"Whether it's blue Tories or red Tories, none of the Westminster parties can be trusted. At the next election, it's essential that Scotland elects a strong team of SNP MPs to stand up for Scotland and get rid of the Tories for good."
A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives said: "Lord Frost is a backbench peer and entitled to his personal views.
"The Scottish Conservative view, shared by the UK Party, is that the problem is not with devolution but with this divided and distracted SNP Government."
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