THERESA May has scheduled a key vote on the Brexit deal at Westminster the day before the Scottish Budget – provoking fresh anger north of the Border.
Last night UK Government sources said MPs would be asked to back the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement on December 11– despite Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay unveiling his tax and spending plans for next year.
The collapse of May’s Government, a leadership challenge, a General Election, a People’s Vote or a no-deal Brexit are among the dramatic scenarios being forecast if the Commons rejects the deal.
These would mean that the fall out of events at Westminster are likely to overshadow one of the most important events in the Holyrood calendar.
Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie suggested it was in keeping with the Government’s handling of the Brexit process.
“It’s hardly unexpected that the UK Government takes no account of the impact of Brexit on political events in Scotland; after all, they triggered this whole crisis with a referendum held just weeks after the Scottish General Election,” he said.
“The Budget process is already under severe pressure of time as a result of the UK changing its own Budget date without notice.
“It’s unlikely that we could now change to avoid this clash, even if we wanted to. We’ll continue fighting for the best result possible on both fronts – opposing Theresa May’s deal in favour of a People’s Vote to stop the Brexit mess, and opposing austerity in favour of a Scottish Budget that invests in communities and public services.”
Meanwhile, business leaders are calling on the Scottish Government to set up a £75 million fund to help companies deal with Brexit.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland made the plea ahead of Mackay setting out his Budget. The FSB is also pressing Mackay to commit £100m to helping Scotland’s town centres, to adapt the Government’s existing rates relief scheme to help more businesses, and to reject calls from local councils to bring in a “tourism tax”, which would impose a levy on the cost of hotel rooms.
With Brexit looming, FSB’s Scotland policy chair Andrew McRae said the “top priority” for business north of the Border was “avoiding a chaotic no-deal, no-transition Brexit”. But he added: “The fact we need a deal doesn’t mean that Scottish firms welcome every dot and comma in the current proposals.”
McRae called on the UK Government to “pay Scotland’s business community greater heed” when considering key issues, such as designing a new immigration system for when the country leaves the EU.
The Scottish Government, meanwhile, was urged to follow Wales – where ministers have announced a £50m EU Transition Fund to help businesses.
Gordon MacDonald, the SNP MSP, said: “Scotland’s small businesses should be in no doubt: the UK Government has created this Brexit mess which will harm their interests. It should be the Treasury stumping up the £75m fund to help companies deal with this looming crisis.”
He added: “The SNP will gladly make that call to the Chancellor – and we look forward to the FSB giving us their backing to secure that extra funding.”
Scottish Brexit Secretary Michael Russell said: “The Scottish Government has already launched an initiative to help businesses prepare for Brexit, with grants of up to £4000 available – but of course, the best way to mitigate the worst impact, short of staying in the EU, is continued membership of the European single market and customs union.”
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