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Earlier this week, Cabinet Secretary for Constitutional Relations Mike Russell MSP addressed an open public meeting organised by Morningside SNP at Morningside Parish Church – thanks to Catriona MacDonald of the branch for this report.

Russell told an audience of around 200 local people: “Scotland is a nation no better than any other, but equal to any other, whose future lies as an independent member of the European Union. It is clear now that the UK is set on a hard-form of Brexit,” said Russell of his experience negotiating with a series of counterparts in the UK Government.

“All the effort we have put in to a more sensible approach has not been listened to. We now have to defend Scotland’s interests.”

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He highlighted Scotland’s achievements as part of the EU – notably its world-leading progress in tackling the climate crisis and its decision to put wellbeing at the heart of public policy. But he was also frank about the damaging impact that Brexit will have on Scotland’s economy, quoting analysis which suggests Scotland will be £9 billion worse off after leaving the EU, and lambasting the UK Government for its isolationist policy on future trade.

Russell was also closely questioned by self-identified ‘undecided’ voters, including on the prospect of a border with England if an independent Scotland joined the EU. On that, he was clear: “There will be no people border. There is already a Common Travel Area in these islands. The Scottish Government does not want a hard goods border and would not impose one – it would be the UK Government which chose to do so.”

“Turning to Scotland’s future, Russell said that a independence referendum in 2020 remains the Scottish Government’s plan, but he stressed the need to conduct such a referendum “sensibly, carefully, and in an orderly fashion” by securing a Section 30 order through negotiation with the UK Government.

Asked about the possibility of taking legal action to break the deadlock created by the Prime Minister’s refusal to grant a Section 30 order – an approach which the First Minister has not ruled out – Russell acknowledged that it is “an option, but not the best option.”

“But the biggest applause of the night came for a French citizen who thanked the Scottish Government for extending the franchise to include him following last week’s vote in Holyrood.”