FURIOUS Scots Remainers rejected Theresa May’s claim during her keynote Brexit speech that “the United Kingdom has never totally felt at home being in the European Union”.
The Prime Minister told her audience in the Italian city of Florence that there had always been a scepticism towards Brussels from this island.
“Perhaps because of our history and geography, the European Union never felt to us like an integral part of our national story in the way it does to so many elsewhere in Europe,” she said.
READ MORE: What does the future hold for Brexit and independence after May's speech
SNP MEP Alyn Smith tweeted: “Mrs May’s comment that UK “never totally felt at home being in the EU” is entirely and demonstrably wrong for Scotland. How dare she.
“A narrow 52 per cent UK vote after a campaign based on lies taken as a mandate for ‘well, it wasn’t really for us eh’. To hell with this.”
Scottish Brexit Secretary Michael Russell also took issue with the Prime Minister
“Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain part of the European Union, and as such the Prime Minister’s assertion that the UK ‘never totally felt at home’ in the EU is not one that chimes with the majority of Scottish opinion,” he said.
On the rest of her speech, Russell welcomed May’s call for a transition period, but called on the Tory leader to go further.
“Reflecting public opinion, the Scottish Government believes we should remain in EU. If that is not possible, we must remain within the single market and customs union, which is clearly in the best interests of our economy and society.
“While the Prime Minister’s speech was short on detail, her acceptance of a transition period within the single market, with freedom of movement, shows that the UK Government has changed its position.
“That is due to the growing consensus of opinion – including leading business voices – that leaving the world’s biggest single market is potentially disastrous for jobs, investment and living standards.
“But having moved this far, the Prime Minister should now go further and, as we have called for, commit to a long-term future in the single market and customs union, not just as a transition arrangement.”
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, said May’s speech had a “constructive spirit”, but failed to clarify how the UK would address all three priorities of Brussels.
“The speech shows a willingness to move forward, as time is of the essence,” he said. “We need to reach an agreement by autumn 2018 on the conditions of the United Kingdom’s orderly withdrawal from the European Union. The UK will become a third country on March 30, 2019.”
For Brussels, the priority is to “protect the rights of citizens”. Barnier said May’s statements were “a step forward but they must now be translated into a precise negotiating position of the UK Government.”
He criticised her lack of detail on the Irish border, saying the speech failed to “clarify how the UK intends to honour its special responsibility for the consequences of its withdrawal for Ireland”.
“Our objective is to preserve the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, as well as the integrity of the single market and the customs union,” he added.
“The sooner we reach an agreement on the principles of the orderly withdrawal in the different areas – and on the conditions of a possible transition period requested by the United Kingdom – the sooner we will be ready to engage in a constructive discussion on our future relationship.
“The EU shares the goal of establishing an ambitious partnership for the future. The fact that the Government of the United Kingdom recog- nises that leaving the European Union means that it cannot keep all the benefits of membership with fewer obligations than the other member states is welcome.”
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage was scathing. He told right-wing news website Breitbart that the Tories had betrayed the Brexiteers.
He said: “In trade, security, science, she [May] proposes no change whatsoever. And finally, most tellingly, she said ‘we do not seek an unfair competitive advantage’. That statement is a sell-out of our national interest, and a betrayal of Brexit.”
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