Brexit: Nine ways leaving the EU has impacted on Scotland

Scotland overwhelmingly voted to remain in the EU, and desperately tried to stay part of the European single market and keep freedom of movement.

However, Westminster ploughed ahead with the deal during a pandemic, and the policies implemented since then have affected Scotland in a myriad of ways.

It comes as MSPs passed a motion in Holyrood condemning "catastophic" supply and staffing issues caused by Brexit. 

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Food supply issues

There is a long list of supply issues caused by Brexit, but food shortages on supermarket shelves across the UK, not least regarding Scotland’s second national drink Irn Bru, which is at risk of shortages due to a lack of HGV drivers for deliveries and a shortage of CO2.

But it isn’t just the orange fizzy drink that is at risk. We told how a leading farmer warned of shortages of turkey ahead of Christmas, and industry leaders signalled that empty supermarket shelves will be “permanent”.

The UK Government initially blamed this on a “pingdemic”, but independent retailers hit back and said the issue was down to Brexit.

Fuel shortages

Long queues and pump closures wreaked havoc across the UK in the past week, and Scotland was also impacted. Some stations had to close after running out of fuel, with others forced to limit the amount drivers could put in their tanks.

Earlier this week Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the situation was “improving”, although it came after Boris Johnson announced he was drafting in the army to deal with the crisis.

READ MORE: Holyrood: MSPs condemn 'catastophic' Brexit shortages and supply issues

HGV driver crisis

When the UK left the European Union, it ended freedom of movement and led to an exodus of EU citizens who fill crucial roles in the HGV sector.

This has had a knock on effect to not only the fuel shortage crisis, but deliveries of food and key supplies across the country. The UK Government’s plan to lure lorry drivers back on short term visas was dubbed “offensive” by a Polish HGV operator who lives in Glasgow.

Downing Street planned to offer work permits to 5000 drivers until Christmas eve amid shortages of food, fuel and gas. However, a trade union leader warned EU lorry drivers will not come back to help the UK “out of the s*** they created themselves”. 

Fishing

Before Brexit, three quarters of all of Scotland’s seafood exports went to the EU, worth around £700 million in sales. Boris Johnson promised during the Brexit referendum campaign that the UK would “take back control” of its waters.

But, after leaving the EU exporting seafood to the continent amid piles of paperwork and admin required has seen the industry take a massive hit.

Lorries filled with langoustines were left stuck at ports before Christmas last year, and tonnes of quickly perishable stock like lobsters and prawns worth thousands of pounds had to be discarded. 

Staff shortages

After the UK left the EU, ending freedom of movement and forcing EU citizens to apply to the resettlement sheme, it didn’t take long before shortages of workers became apparent in key areas.

The NHS, which has been on an emergency footing since the beginning of the pandemic, has now been pushed to breaking point due to staff shortages, which is also having an impact on the care sector.

The proportion of EU citizens working in the UK hospitality industry, also hard hit by industry closures due to the pandemic, also significantly decreased from 43% in 2019 to 37% this year.

This has had a knock on effect to the tourism industry, particularly in the Highlands, with employers struggling to find seasonal staff. And, the Tories' "hostile environment" immigration policy has led to EU citizens who have applied to the scheme being detained and threatened with deportation. 

Universities

Earlier this year we told how the number of EU students accepted onto a university course in Scotland has more than halved in a year.

Statistics from UCAS showed the percentage of students who live in Europe accepted to study in Scotland dropped by 56% when compared to 2020. At the same time, the number of non-EU students from other countries around the world showed a notable rise. 

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Roaming charges

Roaming fees travelling across Europe ended in June 2017, allowing consumers to use their mobile plan in other EU nations at no additional cost.

The leave campaign rubbished any claims made that this would change after Brexit during the campaign. In August, numerous mobile network firms announced they would be reintroducing the charges for UK customers. 

A return to imperial measurements

As the EU requires goods to be sold in standard metric measurements using grams and kilos, it wasn’t long before the UK Government promised to return to the old imperial measurements system using pounds and ounces.

Now outside the trading bloc, the government listed this as part of their “Brexit opportunities”. The plan was met with disdain from opposition parties and the public on social media.

Bolstered the case for Scottish independence?

Gove argued on the Andrew Marr show during the Brexit referendum that the Union would be “stronger” after Brexit, claiming that Scottish nationalism had “grown” since Britain entered the EU.

With the SNP, who ran on a manifesto which contained a promise to “escape Brexit” through a referendum, winning a landslide victory in the Holyrood elections in May, the opposite appears to be true.

And, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP conference speech where she attacked the Brexit policy recently went viral, clearly striking a chord with the public. 

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