SCOTLAND'S salmon, whisky and cashmere exports will be hit with European tariffs if Boris Johnson sparks a trade war with the EU, an expert has warned.
It follows a move made by the European Commission to announce a series of legal challenges against the UK Government after the Prime Minister threatened to unilaterally scrap the Northern Ireland protocol.
Catherine Barnard, professor of EU law and employment law at Trinity College, Cambridge, told The Herald on Sunday: "The UK would have no choice [on non-payment of tariffs]. The tariffs are not imposed on the UK but on goods. The EU would target Scottish salmon. Scottish whisky would be another one that would be targeted as it is high profile. And cashmere.”
Deidre Brock, the SNP’s shadow secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, said Scotland is in this position due to Johnson’s “Brexit Britain obsession”, calling Brexit an “unmitigated disaster for Scotland”.
She added: “[Brexit has] delivered real economic harm, hitting businesses, ripping away rights and imposing significant challenges across all four nations of the UK.
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“This latest analysis from Professor Barnard delivers a stark warning that because of Westminster’s recklessness, Scotland will - yet again - be hit the hardest.
“Scotland currently accounts for the largest share of UK food and drink exports, totalling a staggering £5.7 billion, much of which goes to EU member states including a billion pounds annually to France.
“Brexit will continue to hammer and threaten jobs, businesses and other national economic success stories, while the Tories plough ahead with their reckless and unlawful Northern Ireland Protocol bill.
“Time and time again, Scotland faces serious consequences due to Westminster incompetence and inaction - but we have a way out. By choosing independence, we can take full control of our exports, rid ourselves of Boris Johnson’s ‘Brexit Britain’ obsession, and finally rejoin our European neighbours within the EU.”
A comparison showed that by the end of 2021 the UK economy was 5% smaller than it would have been if it remained in the EU.
Earlier this year, the Consumers in Scotland 2021 report by Which? found two-thirds of Scottish respondents said they were “very” or “a little” worried about Brexit, with the number lower when the same question was posed to English respondents.
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