Brexit deal would 'leave Scotland ignored – and poorer'
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PRIME Minister Boris Johnson’s proposed new Brexit deal would leave Scotland unique among the four UK nations "in being completely ignored", it has been claimed.
The proposals negotiated in Brussels will be put to MPs at a special sitting of Parliament tomorrow.
SNP MSP Richard Lochhead said today that while England and Wales both voted to leave the EU, and would do so under the deal, Northern Ireland was being handed a special deal effectively keeping it within the single market and customs union – with the power to change their relationship in future.
He said the proposals would leave Scotland unique in voting Remain but being dragged out of the EU with no say over our future relationship.
Mr Lochhead said: "Boris Johnson’s proposed Brexit deal is even more extreme than Theresa May’s – and would be worse for jobs, household incomes and living standards in Moray.
"And, crucially, it leaves Scotland unique among the four nations of the UK in facing an outcome we did not vote for and having no say over our future relationship.
"Moray voted to remain in the EU – just like every local authority in Scotland – and yet we’ve been entirely side-lined by the Tories ever since.
"This deal will lead to Northern Ireland having a different relationship with the EU than the rest of the UK and will put Scotland at a serious competitive disadvantage.
"Our local Tory MP will not be forgiven if he backs Boris and votes for his hard Brexit deal that will make people in Moray poorer."
Moray Conservative MP Douglas Ross yesterday urged the SNP to get behind the deal. He said: "I will be supporting the deal the PM has brought back and I now hope the SNP will be true to their word and support the deal as the EU have made it crystal clear that it is the deal that has been negotiated or it’s no deal.
"I hope Richard Lochhead and other SNP members will now be urging their party colleagues at Westminster to back this deal. If not, they will be supporting a no-deal Brexit and their claims against this will ring very hollow.
"If SNP members do not support this deal people will see very clearly that all along they have simply used Brexit to further their separatist agenda and grievance politics. If they don’t support this deal they will be backing a no-deal Brexit."
