MSPS are to make a last ditch attempt to keep the European flag flying over the Scottish Parliament after Brexit.
Earlier this month all but the SNP members of the cross-party Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) agreed to lower the flag on Friday at 11pm when the UK leaves the EU. The flag would only be flown on Europe Day.
The decision stumped the Scottish Government, who said it sent "entirely the wrong signal about Scotland’s pro-EU sentiments”.
READ MORE: Why Holyrood must keep flying the EU flag
The Scottish Government has brought forward tomorrow’s proceedings by 30 minutes, ahead of question time and the motion on indyref2 to debate the future of the flag.
Their motion argues that as Scotland and the UK will "continue to be represented within the Council of Europe, and that the UK’s exit from the European Union will not change this" that the flag should remain.
It calls on MSPs to recognise "the importance of continuing to fly the European flag as a sign of support and solidarity with those EU nationals who have made Scotland their home".
Scottish Tory chief whip Maurice Golden said the Scottish Government had the wrong priorities: “The SNP isn’t even pretending to care about other issues now.
“Valuable time in the Scottish Parliament should be used to address the very severe problems in our hospitals or the crisis engulfing our education system.
“Instead, the nationalists want to revert to the only subject they excel in - stoking up constitutional division.
“It’s completely ridiculous that the governing party of Scotland is dominating business like this on two matters which have already been decisively resolved.
“But for them this isn’t about improving Scotland’s economy or public services, or even enhancing the prospects of the population.
“It’s about playing to the independence gallery, and trying to cause a ruckus between Scotland and England in the hope it pushes up support for separation.”
Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh defended the initial decision. He said: “The SPCB’s decision-making is neither politically motivated nor reflective of any partial viewpoint.
“Its members serve as parliamentarians, not as representatives of the political parties.
“We discussed the Scotland Act and the powers of the Parliament to direct the SPCB.
“It is entirely right and proper that the Parliament should have that power, but there was a clear desire from all members of the SPCB that our flag flying policy should not become a political issue for debate on the floor of the chamber.
“The corporate body recognises entirely the sensitivity that remains over Europe, but its decision is not a political one. Our flags reflect our relationships in law.”
When the SPCB took its decision a Scottish Government source told The National: “Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU – a position that our national Parliament has reaffirmed in repeated votes at Holyrood.
“Taking down the EU flag goes against that and sends entirely the wrong signal about Scotland’s pro-EU sentiments.”
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