JACOB Rees-Mogg has been accused of telling “blatant lies” after claiming Britain will soon enjoy “big wins” from Brexit.
In his first interview since becoming Minister for Brexit Opportunities, the senior Tory told the Sunday Express "the EU would look at us in horror" as the UK moves seamlessly into sunlit uplands.
Rees-Mogg vowed to be a "loud hailer" for "big wins", including a "Brexit dividend", "transformed" economy, and "significantly higher" GDP and standards of living.
He argued such improvements will spark envy in Brussels and end calls for the UK to rejoin the bloc.
The comments were criticised the SNP, who pointed to new ONS trade figures which reveal UK exports to the EU have fallen by £20 billion since 2018.
SNP Brexit spokesperson Dr Philippa Whitford said: "It's extraordinary that despite all the damage they've caused, Boris Johnson's extreme Brexit fantasists are still trying to con people into believing the 'benefits' of Brexit are just around the corner, if only we wait long enough.
READ MORE: Brexit makes cost of living crisis worse as exports to EU to UK plunge
"Tory ministers are peddling blatant lies and absurd fantasies, when the cold hard reality is Brexit has cost the Scottish and UK economies billions of pounds, compounding the Tory cost of living crisis, and stripping UK citizens of their rights to live, work and travel in Europe without barriers.
"The Tory government is divorced from reality. There is no question that the UK is worse off as a result of Brexit. At a time when the economy should be moving forwards, Brexit is dragging it backwards and making people poorer.”
Polls have consistently shown that the majority of Scots think Brexit has gone badly. A YouGov survey published earlier this month found 75% of Scots think the UK hasn't benefited from Brexit, compared to 65% across the UK.
Whitford added: "The only people looking on in horror are those of us in Scotland, who can see the long-term damage being done against our will.
“Independence is now the only way to keep Scotland safe from Westminster control and regain the benefits of EU membership, including a more prosperous future."
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