THE first step in the SNP’s bid to amend the Scotland Act to allow Holyrood to legislate for indyref2 has been hit with an early delay after the House of Commons was suspended due to a visit from King Charles.
Stephen Flynn’s Westminster group had been due to lead an Opposition Day debate on Wednesday afternoon to bring forward a motion seeking to take over the House of Commons order paper on January 10, 2023.
The SNP would then use that time to introduce a Scotland Act 1998 (Amendment) Bill which would seek to alter what is reserved to Westminster under the act.
The debate was scheduled to begin after Tory MP Jonathan Gullis attempted to introduce a bill requiring the UK Government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda even if the action was deemed illegal by an international court.
After Gullis’s bill was voted down, and a debate on Ukraine ultimately not moved forward, the SNP were due to take the floor.
However, deputy speaker Eleanor Laing instead announced that the House of Commons would be suspended.
“In anticipation of the imminent arrival here in the Palace of Westminster of his majesty the king, the House is now suspended until 4pm, or as soon as possible thereafter,” she told MPs.
The PARLYapp Twitter account said that the visit was "is in commemoration of the life of her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II".
The SNP debate on "Scotland's Future" is now expected to begin after the House is reconvened.
