DAVID Mundell ignored the Scottish Government Brexit impact analysis yesterday, accusing the SNP administration of being too preoccupied with the pursuit of independence.
The Tory Scottish Secretary even claimed it was the UK Government that really cared about the best interests of Scotland in the EU negotiations.
However, he did not dismiss the accuracy of the figures showing the £12.7bn cost to Scotland of a hard Brexit – the equivalent of £2,300 for each person.
“These figures fail to acknowledge that above all we need to avoid anything that might fracture the vital UK internal market, which is worth around £48bn to the Scottish economy – or four times more than trade with the EU,” he argued.
“They also do not recognise that we’re seeking a new deep and special economic partnership with the EU that works for Scotland, and indeed the whole of the UK, and is of greater scope than any existing agreement.
“At the weekend, Nicola Sturgeon made it clear her real priority is holding a second independence referendum in Scotland, not getting a good deal as we leave the EU.”
There was no mention in the minister’s statement of migration, which formed a key part of the SNP leader’s speech and analysis.
Theresa May has fully embraced much tougher restrictions on immigration, with a commitment to limit it to the tens of thousands.
Sturgeon made clear yesterday that Scotland’s economy and public services heavily depended on EU workers and that leaving the bloc, and ending freedom of movement, would have a devastating effect on Scottish industry, and on the amount of tax taken in by the government.
Tory MSP Adam Tomkins said the SNP government had gone “completely over-the-top in its scaremongering”.
“It’s vital the SNP works with the UK Government to achieve the best Brexit deal and not will the process to fail in the hope of furthering its own constitutional obsessions,” he added.
Labour, too, were unconvinced.
Scottish Labour’s Brexit spokesman Neil Findlay, a reluctant Remain voter who now supports Brexit, also did not dismiss the SNP government’s analysis, but dismissed the SNP politician who delivered it.
“The Tories’ Brexit process has so far delivered nothing but uncertainty and attacks on hard-won workers’ rights and devolution.
“It’s the security of people’s jobs and the economy which should be at the heart of any deal to leave the EU, and Labour will get on with fighting for the best possible deal for the whole of the UK while respecting the result of the EU referendum; unlike the SNP, who seem never to accept the result of any referendum.”
Sturgeon had criticised UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for his bizarre contention that it was impossible to remain in the single market while leaving the EU.
“Either Jeremy Corbyn is still misunderstanding the position of the single market – which given how often it has been pointed out to him can’t possibly be the case – or he is now trying to deliberately mislead people with this line that you cannot be in the single market if you’re not in the EU.
“Norway stands as the living proof that that is just not the case.”
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