THE UK Government is leading Scotland towards the hardest possible Brexit by setting the bar for a trade deal with Europe "extraordinarily low", the Constitutional Relations Secretary has warned.

Responding to today's publication of the UK Government's mandate for talks with the EU, Michael Russell said its willingness to walk away with No Deal was “the worst possible start to negotiations".

Russell warned that the UK Government's strategy could cost the Scottish economy between £9 billion and £12.7bn by 2030 compared to with EU membership, adding he is concerned Scots businesses will be hit hard.

The news follows the revelation earlier this week that one in five small Scots firms could be forced to close as a result of Boris Johnson's post-Brexit immigration system.

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Russell (pictured below) said: “As ambitions go, the UK Government’s goals set an extraordinarily low bar. The free trade deal it is aiming for represents a hard Brexit and is little better than a disastrous ‘no deal’ in terms of the economic damage it would cause.

“The people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, but all attempts to maintain a closer relationship have been completely ignored by the UK Government. In these proposals Scotland is treated worse than Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. 

The National:

“The desire for a Canada-style free trade deal would hit trade, limit the export of services and leave Scotland’s gross domestic product more than 6%, or £9bn, lower by 2030 than if we had stayed in the EU."

The Argyll and Bute MSP then accused Westminster of putting livelihoods "at risk" - warning business would not be the only sector negatively affected.

He continued: “The UK Government has today made clear it is prepared to walk away without any trade deal, which could raise that figure to £12.7 billion. That is simply reckless and puts people’s livelihoods at risk.

READ MORE: Michael Russell tells EU: 'Leave a light on for Scotland'

“The plan will also mean that all Scotland’s citizens would lose the right to travel, live, work and study in Europe and puts at risk access for our young people to programmes such as Erasmus+.

“We will continue to argue for a closer relationship with the EU and will assert our right to align with EU rules where we wish to. We will also consider whether we can take part in future EU programmes in devolved areas, even when the UK Government does not.

“The mandate published today has been drawn up without taking account of the Scottish Government’s views on any of the core issues and will implement a Brexit the Scottish people overwhelmingly rejected. We cannot endorse it. The case for Scotland’s right to choose its own future grows stronger.”