Don’t turn your back on Scotland
SNP broker urges warring Cabinet clans to study single market plan
SCOTLAND’S voice must be heard during the UK Cabinet’s Brexit showdown, the SNP have demanded.
Theresa May’s warring Ministers will today slug it out in a tense summit at Chequers.
SNP Brexit negotiator Mike Russell yesterday urged them to read the SNP Government’s White Paper on the subject.
Russell insisted staying in the single market and customs union was the only sensible option.
Emerging from a meeting of UK and Scottish Ministers at Whitehall, he said: “I am now absolutely certain that the only way forward is to continue within the single market and customs union.
“That is on offer, that can be done and none of the solutions the UK Government is talking about are on offer, or can be done.”
Russell added that the Tory Government had to “please grow up, listen to what is real”.
He said: “I was in Strasbourg this week. I spoke to members of the European Parliament and the Commission. Everybody uses the same word – reality.”
The SNP move came as May’s compromise plan to mirror EU trade rules but allow the UK to set its own tariffs on goods was mauled by Brexiteers.
The PM held talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday.
David Davis told May her “best of both worlds” plan was unworkable. In a letter, the Brexit secretary said it was similar to plans previously rejected by the EU. Hardliners were horrified that the plan would rule out a trade deal with the US.
A leaked draft of papers sent to Ministers suggests May’s third way “would not allow that because of the US’s “array of standard”.
Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg ranted: “If this is correct this is not Brexit. This common rulebook means that we are essentially a vassal state.” Scottish Secretary David Mundell vowed to explain the Scottish Government view at Chequers. He said: “There are many aspects of the paper I am in agreement with and I think it’s appropriate and right that their views more generally are set out at that meeting.”