The SNP has challenged Keir Starmer to “rejoin the EU single market instead of imposing even more austerity cuts” – as pressure grows on the Labour Party to abandon its plan to impose billions of pounds of cuts to families and public services.
Independent analysis by the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the SNP, has revealed Brexit is costing UK businesses £37billion a year, with total trade five per cent lower than before the UK left the EU.
Earlier today, a Labour Party supporting think tank warned the Labour government’s Brexit policies are a major cause of the UK’s economic woes.
Best for Britain, which backed Keir Starmer’s party at the UK general election, warned the Labour government’s plan to impose austerity cuts would be “political anthrax” and published new YouGov polling showing more people think a closer trade deal with the EU (46%) is a better way of delivering economic growth than cutting benefits (28%)
Naomi Smith, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, warned:
“Austerity is political anthrax, being deeply unpopular, economically shortsighted and devastating to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people all at once – but fortunately for Starmer, there is a popular alternative.
“By protecting high British standards and striking a common sense deal with our largest market, the Government can deliver real growth right across the country, boost public finances and reduce prices for consumers.”
Separate YouGov polling published on the fifth anniversary of Brexit in January found, of those with an opinion, three quarters of Scots (75%) and six in ten people across the UK (62%) now believe it was wrong for the UK to leave the EU.
Commenting, SNP Europe and trade spokesperson Stephen Gethins MP said:
“Keir Starmer cannot continue to stick his head in the sand and ignore the overwhelming evidence that the Labour Party’s disastrous Brexit policy is destroying economic growth – and wiping billions of pounds from UK public finances every single year.
“During the election, the Labour Party promised voters it would deliver growth and stop austerity cuts – but instead it has slashed economic growth in half and is imposing a new era of austerity cuts on families and public services.
“It is now undeniable that Brexit is a major root cause of Britain’s broken economy.
“It is harming trade and economic growth, taking money away from the NHS and making the cost of living worse.
“If the Labour government is serious about repairing the damage it has caused to the economy, it must rejoin the EU single market instead of imposing even more austerity cuts.
“Scotland voted to remain in the EU.
“If the Labour government won’t even contemplate rejoining the EU single market and customs union, it will consign the UK economy to decades of decline and leave families poorer.
“The Labour government’s disastrous support for Brexit, and its record of failure on the economy, underlines exactly why Scotland needs a strong SNP government to stand up for our economy and offer a path to independence, so Scotland can get back to prosperity as a member of the EU.”
