The SNP has said the Tory government is “putting people’s jobs and livelihoods on the line” by failing to support businesses from the damaging impact of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal – as MPs piled pressure on Tory ministers over the ban on live shellfish exports.
Responding to an urgent statement from Tory Environment Secretary George Eustice on the Brexit shellfish exports ban, Deidre Brock MP said the UK government had “made a bollocks of Brexit” and called for action including a multi-billion-pound Brexit compensation package and grace period for Scotland, support for businesses to navigate Brexit bureaucracy, and a renegotiation to guarantee Scottish shellfish exports.
Commenting, SNP Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Deidre Brock MP (pictured) said:
“Boris Johnson’s botched Brexit deal has been an absolute nightmare for Scotland’s seafood industry, with businesses losing millions of pounds due to a mountain of added costs, red tape and barriers to trade with our largest export market – the EU.
“The blame lies squarely with the Tory government, which has made a bollocks of Brexit, and is putting people’s jobs and livelihoods on the line by leaving our industry to face these challenges alone, without proper support or compensation.
“It is crucial that the UK government finally steps up to the plate with a multi-billion-pound package of Brexit compensation and a grace period for Scotland, support for businesses to navigate Brexit bureaucracy, and a renegotiation to guarantee Scottish shellfish exports.
“Brexit has already cost Scotland’s economy billions of pounds, and the long-term damage of this hardest of Tory Brexits will cost us billions more.
“This is truly a tale of two unions.
“While Ireland is getting €1.05billion from the EU’s Brexit mitigation fund, Scotland has yet to receive a single penny in compensation from the UK government. It’s completely unacceptable.
“The damage of Brexit is growing by the day.
“The SNP will continue to press for support to mitigate Brexit but the only way to protect Scotland’s place in Europe, and regain the full economic and trading benefits of EU membership, is to become an independent country.
“People in Scotland have a right to decide their own future.
