Parliament Workbench
Data: Motions & questions to 19 Nov 2026 · Votes to 12 Nov 2026

Motion For Debate · S5M-03858 · Session 5

Article 50

Carried Lodged by Michael Russell SNP Lodged 6 Feb 2017 Debate 7 Feb 2017 1 supporter

The motion

That the Parliament agrees with all but one of Scotland’s MPs that the UK Government’s European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill should not proceed, as the UK Government has set out no provision for effective consultation with the devolved administrations on reaching an agreed UK approach to the negotiations on implementing Article 50, has refused to give a guarantee on the position of EU nationals in the UK, has left unanswered a range of detailed questions covering many policy areas regarding the full implications of withdrawal from the single market, and has provided no assurance that a future parliamentary vote on the outcome of the negotiations will be anything other than irrelevant, as withdrawal from the EU follows two years after the invoking of Article 50 if agreement is not reached in the forthcoming negotiations, unless they are prolonged by unanimity.

What MSPs voted on: the motion as amended

The SNP’s motion was changed by a Green amendment (S5M-03858.2) before this vote. A vote ‘for’ was a vote for the SNP’s motion with the Greens’ changes.

That the Parliament agrees with all but one of Scotland’s MPs that the UK Government’s European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill should not proceed, as the UK Government has set out no provision for effective consultation with the devolved administrations on reaching an agreed UK approach to the negotiations on implementing Article 50, has refused to give a guarantee on the position of EU nationals in the UK, has left unanswered a range of detailed questions covering many policy areas regarding the full implications of withdrawal from the single market, and has provided no assurance that a future parliamentary vote on the outcome of the negotiations will be anything other than irrelevant, as withdrawal from the EU follows two years after the invoking of Article 50 if agreement is not reached in the forthcoming negotiations, unless they are prolonged by unanimity.S5M-03858.2 Green ; notes the widespread scepticism that an agreement on the future relationship of the UK and EU can be reached within two years; is concerned by the lack of any proposed transitional arrangements until such an agreement is in place, and believes that the decision to proceed with the bill does not respect the majority vote to remain part of the EU that was returned in every council area in Scotland.

Final wording as read into the Official Report at Decision Time. The marked changes are worked out by this site from the amendment texts and match that wording.

Amendments

  1. S5M-03858.3 Conservative John Lamont Defeated vote, 31–92
  2. S5M-03858.1 Labour Lewis Macdonald Defeated vote, 20–102
  3. S5M-03858.2 Green Ross Greer Agreed vote, 72–33
  4. S5M-03858.4 Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie Defeated vote, 5–119

Signatures by party

1 MSP besides the lodger · 0 from other parties
SNP 1

Party on the day each MSP signed. Signing a motion is voluntary and not whipped. Who signs whose motions

Vote

1 division
  1. 7 Feb 2017
    Article 50
    S5M-03858as amended by Green
    Carried
    90 for, 34 against

Amendments

4
  1. S5M-03858.1
    Article 50
    Lewis Macdonald Lab Lodged 6 Feb 2017
    Defeated
    20 for, 102 against
  2. S5M-03858.2
    Article 50
    Ross Greer Green Lodged 6 Feb 2017
    Carried
    72 for, 33 against
  3. S5M-03858.3
    Article 50
    John Lamont Con Lodged 6 Feb 2017
    Defeated
    31 for, 92 against
  4. S5M-03858.4
    Article 50
    Willie Rennie LD Lodged 6 Feb 2017
    Defeated
    5 for, 119 against

Supporters

1 MSP

SNP 1

Show all 1 supporter by party

SNP 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

In the Official Report

6 contributions mention S5M-03858
  1. 7 Feb 2017
    Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-03858, in the name of Michael Russell, on article 50. 14:23

  2. 7 Feb 2017
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    There are seven questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that if the amendment in the name of John Lamont is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Lewis Macdonald falls. The first question is, that amendment …

  3. 7 Feb 2017
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The next question is, that amendment S5M-03858.1, in the name of Lewis Macdonald, which seeks to amend motion S5M-03858, in the name of Michael Russell, on article 50, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.

  4. 7 Feb 2017
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The next question is, that amendment S5M-03858.2, in the name of Ross Greer, which seeks to amend motion S5M-03858, in the name of Michael Russell, on article 50, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.

  5. 7 Feb 2017
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The next question is, that amendment S5M-03858.4, in the name of Willie Rennie, which seeks to amend motion S5M-03858, in the name of Michael Russell, on article 50, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.

  6. 7 Feb 2017
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The next question is, that motion S5M-03858, in the name of Michael Russell, on article 50, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.