Hold a referendum on abolishing the Scottish Parliament & Government

We call on the UK Government to legislate on holding a referendum in Scotland to decide whether the Scottish Parliament & Government should be abolished.

We believe it has become clear that the Scottish Parliament is not representative of the views of the Scottish electorate, even more so in the recent election, which saw the SNP and Greens receive 57% of the seats but only 41% of the votes cast.

We feel the over-representation of nationalist parties in Holyrood has been to the detriment of public services and the wellbeing of the population. We believe there is a growing voice for the dismantling of devolution in Scotland and the return of local, more accountable democracy.

The UK Government is clear in our respect for devolution and commitment to make existing devolution settlements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland work effectively to deliver on people’s priorities. The Government does not support introducing legislation for a referendum on abolishing the Scottish Parliament.

The more we focus on substantive delivery such as investment in industry, energy security and public services and less on constitutional wrangling, the more we can achieve for the people of Scotland. As the Prime Minister has set out to the First Minister, on the subject of a referendum on independence, this would only serve as a distraction to the vital work of growing the economy and helping to give families breathing space with the cost of living.

Of course, the UK Government wants to see the powers of the Scottish Parliament and Government used to the best effect to get the basics right, from the ferries to our NHS and helping people with the cost of living.

The UK Government is committed to working with all levels of government on the shared purpose of ensuring regions and communities across the whole of the United Kingdom benefit.

The UK Government strongly believes that we need further decentralisation in Scotland and that power and funding must move out of Holyrood to strengthen Scotland's regional economies. Decentralisation should drive innovation by empowering local leaders to trial different approaches, and learn from what works to ultimately deliver more for citizens.

The evidence from England is clear that enabling coordinated policy action across regional economies can lead to better outcomes and a more efficient use of resources. Local leaders across Scotland should have the power and resources to connect communities, back young people and revive our high streets.

Scotland can be an engine room of UK growth and the UK Government will leave no stone unturned to unleash that potential. But delivering economic growth for Scotland is not something either of Scotland’s governments can do alone. It requires partnership and co-operation. The vast majority of Scots want their two governments to work together to increase living standards and improve public services.

If we want to build a better Scotland in the years ahead, uniting around our shared values and focusing on practical solutions offers a better route than division and grievance. Creating a country that works for working people is our goal. The UK Government wants to work in cooperation with the Scottish Government to achieve that, creating growth, opportunities and prosperity in every post code across our country.

While there will inevitably be areas where the UK and Scottish Governments take different positions, we remain committed to constructive engagement and practical cooperation wherever that can improve outcomes for people in Scotland and build a fairer country for everyone.

Scotland Office