The SNP has said the UK is heading to a Tory Brexit crisis in nine days’ time – warning it is now too late to avoid a devastating low deal or no deal extreme Brexit outcome without an emergency extension to the transition period.
With a winter wave of coronavirus hitting the UK, unemployment soaring, and 1,500 lorries piled up at Kent, Kirsten Oswald MP (pictured) said any thin deal agreed at this stage would inevitably cause serious and lasting damage to jobs, living standards and the economy “at the worst possible time”.
The SNP Westminster Deputy Leader said the blame would fall on Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer for pressing ahead with an extreme Brexit in the middle of a pandemic – and said independence is now the only way to protect Scotland’s place in Europe.
Commenting, SNP Westminster Deputy Leader Kirsten Oswald MP said:
“The UK is heading to a devastating Tory Brexit crisis in just nine days’ time. It is now too late to avoid a devastating low deal or no deal extreme Brexit unless the UK government does the only responsible thing and agrees an emergency extension to the transition period.
“At this late stage, any thin deal that is agreed will inevitably cause serious and lasting damage to jobs, living standards, businesses and the economy – ripping Scotland out of the EU, and the world’s largest single market, at the worst possible time.
“The blame lies squarely with Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer who have both refused to back an extension, and are recklessly endangering the economy by ploughing ahead with an extreme Tory Brexit in the middle of a pandemic and at a time when UK unemployment is soaring.
“Scotland has been completely ignored by Westminster throughout the Brexit process.
“We now face an extreme Brexit being imposed against our will by a Tory government we didn’t vote for.
“It is clearer than ever that the only way to protect Scotland’s interests and our place in Europe is to become an independent country.
“Scotland has the right to determine our own future.”
