The SNP has said the long-term damage being caused by Boris Johnson’s extreme Brexit deal shows “Westminster cannot be trusted with Scotland’s future” – after a third week of mounting costs and chaos for businesses and communities across the UK.
Ian Blackford MP (pictured) said the devastating costs to businesses and communities are “not just a short-term hiccup but a fundamental flaw” in the Tory Brexit deal, which will see the rising cost of Brexit “go on and on” for many years to come.
The SNP Westminster Leader said Brexit made it “absolutely essential” that people in Scotland have a choice over our future to protect Scotland’s place in Europe as an independent country and secure a strong, fair and prosperous recovery from Covid-19.
It follows a month of Brexit chaos in which:
The seafood industry has faced devastation, losing over £1million a day – while the UK government has rejected calls for a grace period
Meat exporters have lost millions in produce rotting at the border due to red tape
Tory ministers admitted they are reviewing workers’ rights protections
NHS protections were removed from the Trade Bill
Consumers have been hit with a wave of charges for purchasing everyday goods
UK firms warned they may have to burn goods stuck in the EU due to rising costs
UK manufacturers warned EU customers were cancelling orders due to red tape
The UK government faced a backlash from musicians over Brexit visa costs
The UK finance sector lost thousands of jobs and billions in assets to EU countries
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey predicted the Tory Brexit deal could cost the UK economy more than £80billion – with UK GDP hit by four per cent
Commenting, SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford MP said:
“The disastrous long-term damage of Brexit, after a decade of Tory austerity cuts, proves Westminster cannot be trusted with Scotland’s future.
“The mounting costs and chaos of Brexit will go on and on.
“It is not just short-term hiccup but a fundamental flaw in Boris Johnson’s poor Brexit deal, which will leave Scotland’s people, businesses and communities paying a devastating price for many years to come.
“It is absolutely essential that Scotland has a choice over our future, so we can escape Brexit, protect our place in Europe, and secure a strong, fair and prosperous recovery as an independent country.
“We cannot afford to leave Scotland’s future in Boris Johnson’s hands.
“All of the problems the UK is now facing are things that the Tories were explicitly warned about before Brexit.
“They were warned they should extend the transition period but deliberately ploughed ahead with Brexit during the pandemic to give them cover.
“The Tories accused people of scaremongering over warnings that our fishing communities would be sold out, that workers’ rights and NHS protections would be under threat, and that our economy would be left worse off.
“All of these Tory lies and broken promises are now utterly exposed.
“Scotland has been completely ignored by Westminster throughout the Brexit process – but we do not have to accept Tory Brexit decline.
“The people of Scotland have the right to determine our own future and protect our interests with independence.”