London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Holyrood bills to be challenged by UK government

Holyrood bills to be challenged by UK government

The UK government is to challenge parts of two bills passed by the Scottish Parliament.

MSPs unanimously approved the bills relating to children's rights and local government last month.

But UK ministers are concerned the legislation could place obligations on them and, if so, would be beyond the scope of Holyrood's devolved powers.

The UK government is referring both to the UK Supreme Court for a ruling.

It means they will not receive royal assent, which allows them to become laws, until the UK's highest court has considered the challenge.

One of the bills incorporates the European Charter of Local Self-Government into Scots law, while the other seeks to incorporate the incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

After every bill is passed by the Scottish Parliament there is a four-week period where the UK government can consider whether to use powers in the Scotland Act 1998 to challenge the planned law.

Political reaction


Nicola Sturgeon has described the challenge as "jaw dropping".

In a tweet, the first minister added: "The UK Tory government is going to court to challenge a law passed by the Scottish Parliament unanimously.

"And for what? To protect their ability to legislate/act in ways that breach children's rights in Scotland.

"Politically catastrophic, but also morally repugnant."

But a UK government source said: "This delay to the legislation could easily have been avoided.

"Sadly, it appears the Scottish government are more interested in stirring a constitutional row than getting the UNCRC bill into law at the first opportunity."

A UK government spokesman said: "The UK government law officers' concerns are not about the substance of the legislation, rather whether parts are outwith the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament."


To challenge the scope of Holyrood's law-making powers in the middle of an election campaign is a politically explosive decision by the UK government.

The timing was not entirely in their gift because the Scottish Parliament's decision to pass the two bills last month created a four-week window for them to consider action.

One UK government source told me the legal challenge was "regrettable" but "avoidable" if the Scottish government had listened to their concerns and made some changes.

The UK government insists it has no objection to the policy content of the bills, only to their potential to limit UK decision making in Scotland - which would be beyond Holyrood's powers.

An SNP source said changes were not required because the bills had passed the scrutiny of both Scottish government and Scottish Parliament lawyers.

Each side accuses the other of picking this fight. It will now be for the UK Supreme Court to settle - a process that will put the legislation on hold and fuel the constitutional debate in the Holyrood election campaign.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×