Holyrood will bid to block Brexit despite Supreme Court judges ruling it does not have the legal powers to do so, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The First Minister also claimed the ruling from the highest court in the land pushes the prospect of a second independence referendum closer because “Scotland’s voice is simply not being heard or listened to within the UK”.
It follows the decision that, although the UK Government will have to win approval from MPs to trigger the Article 50 process to leave the EU, devolved administrations have no legal powers to intervene.
SNP leader Ms Sturgeon said: “The Scottish Government will bring forward a Legislative Consent Motion and ensure that the Scottish Parliament has the opportunity to vote on whether or not it consents to the triggering of Article 50.
“We will also use the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee next week to continue to press for the sensible, compromise outcomes set out in the paper we published in December.
“However, it is becoming clearer by the day that Scotland’s voice is simply not being heard or listened to within the UK.”
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson accused the SNP of using the Supreme Court case “to hold the UK to ransom”.
She also called on the Nationalists to state if they want Britain’s negotiations to succeed or fail.
“All parties should now respect the ruling that the court has given,” Ms Davidson said.
“Yet typically, Nicola Sturgeon has decided to ignore it by stating – even before the verdict was in – that she would still seek a separate vote at Holyrood.”
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale pledged to work with the SNP to try and secure “the best deal for Scotland within the UK”.
She added: “Unity cannot be achieved by a politics that sees one half of the country constantly facing off against the other.
“Only Labour is standing up for what the majority of Scots want – a strong Scottish Parliament within the UK and close ties with Europe.”
The Scottish Greens said the ruling confirmed Scotland is not an “equal partner” in the UK and called for a second referendum to take place, hanging on an independent Scotland being part of the EU.
Patrick Harvie, the party’s co-convener, said: “By recognising that Brexit will alter the powers of the Scottish Parliament but deciding that MSPs will have no say, the Supreme Court has made it clear today that Scotland is not an equal partner in the UK.
“While it’s good that Westminster at least must have a vote before the UK begins the formal process of leaving the European Union, there’s no consolation for people in Scotland, who have come to expect that Westminster never speaks up for Scotland or respects the democratic wishes of the people who live here.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “As the Supreme Court has concluded that Parliament must be given a say over the decision to trigger Article 50 this presents a huge opportunity for Parliament to agree to a Brexit Deal Referendum.”
