We cannot risk a no deal Brexit

In my last Perthshire Advertiser column, I talked about how Brexit was leading to a series of landmark events on an almost daily basis.

I made those comments before the outcome of the Supreme Court case last week.

There is a grave danger that we dismiss or trivialise these landmark events and we do so at our peril.

It is absolutely vital we remember that the Supreme Court - the most authoritative court in the United Kingdom - judged the UK prime minister to have acted unlawfully. Unlawfully for goodness sake.

I ask the question, how on earth is it possible for the prime minister to still be in office if he has been judged to have acted unlawfully?

It was clear from the judgement of the Supreme Court that the decision to prorogue the Westminster parliament was designed to avoid democratic scrutiny of the actions of the prime minister and his government.

One of the reasons Boris Johnson would have wanted to avoid scrutiny is over his plans to deliver a no deal Brexit.

I am absolutely determined that we must stop a no deal Brexit. I have been working within the Scottish Government on the issues we will face on a no deal Brexit.

There will without a doubt be a loss of transport capability with a knock on effect on supplies of goods. It will be impossible to guarantee food supplies and essential medical supplies to those who need them.

That fact has been confirmed by the UK Government yet it still pushes that as the route it is prepared to take.

I cannot sign up to a no deal Brexit because it will damage the lives of my constituents and I will take no part in enabling something to happen that will be damaging to those I represent.

But at the weekend, the Scottish Tories made clear they will inflict a no deal Brexit on Scotland.

Having moved their position from arguing that the UK should remain part of the European single market after Brexit, the Scottish Tories have now dutifully fallen into line with Boris Johnson.

The Scottish Tories are now the cheerleaders for a no deal Brexit. The Tories know ordinary people will be harmed by a no deal Brexit and they just do not care.

Business is worried by Brexit. Business is terrified by a no deal Brexit. And the Scottish Tories have just abandoned business in Scotland.

I want to assure my constituents, that along with Nicola Sturgeon MSP, the first minister of Scotland, and with our local MP, Pete Wishart, I will do everything in my power to stop a no deal Brexit.

And we cannot take the risk of leaving Boris Johnson in power where he may try to achieve that dreadful outcome. Given his track record on acting unlawfully, we can readily see the risks we face.

Finally, if a no deal Brexit happens, I will make sure the Scottish Tories cannot escape their responsibility for inflicting such a damaging outcome on people in our community.