Brexit chaos still reigns

During the last couple of weeks, we’ve been bombarded by dire warnings about the possible consequences of Brexit and leaving the Single Market.

It’s clear that both Labour and the Tories urgently need to get their act together.

We have been warned about “considerable and unpredictable changes in food prices”, while the House of Lords has published reports predicting weakening of animal welfare standards and the “unacceptable risks” we face if the UK Government doesn’t have the arrangements in place to replace the European Arrest Warrant by March 2019.

It is estimated that a “Hard Brexit” could cost every Scottish household £2,000 a year and lead to the loss of up to 80,000 jobs.

Additionally, analysis by the Centre for Cities has found that Scottish cities will be some of the hardest hit cities by Brexit. It seems that we hear about the risks of Brexit in almost daily basis, with very little reassurances or answers from the UK Government.

Both Labour and the Tories seem to be becoming ever more confused on what their position actually is.

Senior Tory Cabinet members completely contradict each other in the national media on issues fundamentally important to how Brexit is going to work.

Labour are little better, with Jeremy Corbyn explicitly ruling out Single Market membership – but nobody else in the party able to agree what their position actually is or should be.

In contrast, the SNP Government has put forward serious, sensible proposals that would keep our place in the Single Market – protecting our close economic ties with Europe, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and safeguarding our living standards.

I hope that in the coming weeks and months politicians of all parties will come together to protect jobs, household incomes and investment and fight for our membership of the Single Market.