THOUSANDS of jobs moving from the UK to France signals the beginning of a “Brexit exodus”, the SNP have warned.

Stephen Flynn MP, the party’s Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury, blamed the Tory Government's chaotic approach to the Brexit process for forcing companies to relocate.

The Governor of the Bank of France outlined that at least €170 billion in assets and nearly 2500 jobs had moved from the UK to France at the end of 2020.

Stephen Flynn MP said: “Billions of pounds in assets and thousands of jobs lost to Europe is just the tip of the Brexit iceberg for the financial sector. The UK Government’s shambolic deal risks a total Brexit exodus, leaving the UK an abandoned ship.

“Scotland has built a booming financial sector but the Tory Government at Westminster has put our progress in grave danger. The UK Government never contemplated the cost of a hard Tory Brexit but it’s ordinary people who will pay the price.

“Westminster Tories don’t care about Scotland’s financial sector - they want a hard Brexit at any cost. In Scotland, the best way to protect our financial sector is as an independent European nation.”

It comes as exports of fresh fish and seafood have been severely disrupted by delays since the UK’s transition period ended on December 31.

READ MORE: Brexit has shown fishing communities we are just pawns of politicians' whims

The new checks and paperwork have been causing delays for the industry since then, with seafood producers growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of government action.

Lorries transporting freshly-caught produce have been held up at distribution hubs and many have struggled to enter into France, while some Scots have taken to landing their catch in Denmark to avoid the “bureaucratic system” that exports to Europe now involve.

Analysis from the Scottish Government found that the UK Government's Brexit deal will result in a fall in the quantity of key fishing stocks landed, such as cod, haddock, whiting and saithe.

The deal means that the Scottish fishing industry will have access to fewer fishing opportunities than under the existing Common Fisheries Policy arrangements – even at the end of the five and a half year adjustment period.

Despite the Brexit deal’s disastrous outcome in the last two weeks, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab moved to dismiss the issues when presented with testimonies from struggling businesses on Sunday, simply referring to them as “teething problems”.

READ MORE: Dominic Raab claims Brexit chaos for fishing firms is 'just teething problems'

His comments were challenged by firms hit by the Tory deal.

A spokesperson for Eyemouth-based DR Collin & Son, who took part in the protest, said: “These are not ‘teething issues’ as reported by the Government, and the consequences of these problems will be catastrophic on the lives of fishermen, fishing towns and the shellfish industry as a whole.”

Seafood hauliers descended on roads near 10 Downing Street on Monday in response to the issues they have faced in exporting seafood to the EU, saying they were being “tied in knots with paperwork” by the Brexit fishing deal.

READ MORE: Seafood protesters fined after protest over Brexit chaos for fishing industry

Scotland's fishing sector is furious with Tory ministers, who they feel have forced them to accept the “worst of both worlds” according to a letter from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation.

The group wrote to the Prime Minister warning of “huge disappointment and a great deal of anger about your failure to deliver on promises made repeatedly to this industry”.

Humza Yousaf said images of the London protests should "haunt" the Scottish Tories, adding: "Forget the Brexit lies Boris slapped on to side of a bus - here is the Brexit truth on the side of lorries from seafood and fisheries industry.

"These images should haunt the Scot Tories, your betrayal will not be forgotten."

READ MORE: Seafood protest images ‘should haunt the Scottish Tories’