<\/p>\n
Reform MSPs walk out of the chamber<\/p>\n
Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord today led his 17 MSPs out of the Holyrood chamber after calling a debate on Scottish independence a \u201cvanity project\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Offord had moved that the debate was \u201cultra vires\u201d \u2013 outwith the parliament\u2019s powers. He quoted the Scotland Act (1998) which states the union is a reserved matter, and asks if the debate is \u201cinappropriate\u201d and if the meeting of parliament should be closed. He added that a Supreme Court had issued a ruling on a second referendum.<\/p>\n
However, after being told by presiding officer Kenneth Gibson that the parliament was free to discuss what it chose, Mr Offord decided that his party would no longer take part.<\/p>\n
MSPs heard an opening speech by First Minister John Swinney on Scotland\u2019s right to choose its future and how the electorate had sent a majority of independence supporting candidates to Holyrood. <\/p>\n
He was followed by Michael Marra following his election as Scottish Labour leader who had hinted at sharing the SNP\u2019s position.<\/p>\n
However, Mr Offord was clearly in no mood for compromise and declared: \u201cThis debate is a farce. It is an insult to the Scottish electorate who expect their politicians to deal with serious issues in their communities, like homelessness and the \u00a35 billion black hole.<\/p>\n
Malcolm Offord: \u2018this debate is a farce\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThis debate is ill-judged, self-serving and wholly inappropriate. No wonder two million Sots did not vote in the Scottish elections.<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked for this debate to be ruled ultra vires and as that did not happen Reform won\u2019t engage further in these pointless proceedings.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did not come into this parliament to waste our time on vanity projects and there I withdraw my amendment and we will exit the chamber.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Swinney: the right to choose<\/p>\n
As Reform MSPs left there were boos and laughter from other members.<\/p>\n
Tory leader Russell Findlay accused Mr Swinney of being more concerned with grievance than government.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr Swinney does not like anything British, apart from his British Airways business class flights,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n
He said Mr Swinney was guilty of a \u201cnever-ending hissy-fit\u201d over the result of the 2014 referendum. \u201cGet over it, move on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u2026 more follows<\/p>\n
\t #Offord #leads #Reform #walkout #indy #debate #Daily #Business<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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