Theresa May's deputy in crunch talks with Mike Russell on Brexit
THERESA May's deputy will today meet Mike Russell for crunch talks on Brexit with no sign of a deal on key legislation. David Lidington, the Cabinet Office Minister, has not met the SNP Brexit Minister for one-to-one discussions since the Scottish Government rejected a revised EU Withdrawal Bill.
Mike Russell: A deal can be reached with the British government
Although the Welsh Labour government signed up to the agreement last week, Nationalists argue it still gives Westminster the "final say" over a series of frameworks to protect the UK's internal market when Britain quits the bloc.
The row centres on 24 devolved policy areas where Theresa May argued UK frameworks were required so there were not separate regimes north and south of the border.
They include food labelling, agriculture and fisheries.
The Scottish Government wants a veto over the use of these powers, arguing that the UK Government has no right to decide policy on devolved areas without the explicit consent of Holyrood.
Three amendments were tabled to the Withdrawal Bill in the Lords yesterday which could have provided a breakthrough if they had secured the backing of both governments.
But the UK government has rejected them, saying all would allow the devolved governments to exercise a veto over the UK government and that would be incompatible with the devolution settlement.
Two of the amendments, tabled by Scottish legal peers Lords Hope and Mackay, would have given Holyrood a veto over the use of the powers, a move the UK government claimed had already been rejected.
The other amendment, by Welsh crossbencher Lord Wigley, suggested a compromise, with the devolved administrations having a combined veto through a majority vote on the joint ministerial committee but without any of the governments having an individual veto.
Speaking ahead of the talks in London Mr Russell insisted a deal can be still be reached if the contentious clause is removed completely or if Lords Hope's and Mackay's amendments are accepted.
But a Whitehall source made clear these would be rejected amid claims there are "not compatible with the devolution settlement" and could undermine UK trade.
Meanwhile, Mr Lidington said the Bill had already been "changed significantly" and urged SNP ministers to "reconsider their decision".