SHOWDOWN OVER BREXIT
As defiant PM pledges to take Britain out of single European market, Sturgeon warns Indyref2 is now ‘all but inevitable’
NICOLA Sturgeon last night declared that a second independence referendum is now virtually ‘inevitable’ after Theresa May pledged to take Britain out the EU single market.
The SNP leader warned that the Prime Minister’s decision ‘undoubtedly’ makes a rerun of the 2014 vote more likely.
It comes after Mrs May rejected the First Minister’s key demands as she laid out her approach to Brexit yesterday.
But the Prime Minister also appeared to signal that she could even reject any demand for a second referendum – saying that her ‘guiding principle’ when leaving the EU will be building a stronger United Kingdom without any ‘new barriers’ between the four nations.
With polls showing that a significant majority of Scots still back the Union, Miss Sturgeon is facing a crucial decision over whether to demand a new referendum – something that could kill the SNP’s independence dream for good and destroy her own political career.
In a speech in London filled with a series of dramatic announcements yesterday, Mrs May:
Warned that she would walk away if EU leaders offer her a ‘bad’ Brexit deal,
saying this would be an ‘act of calamitous self-harm’ for EU countries.
Threatened to set up as a low-tax rival to the EU if member states fail to reach agreement on the terms of Brexit, declaring that no deal is better than a bad deal.
Said Britain ‘cannot possibly’ remain in the European single market and must regain control of its own borders.
Announced that MPs and Lords will get a vote on the final deal.
Said she did not want the EU to fall apart and Britain ‘wants to remain a good friend and neighbour to Europe’.
Setting out a 12-point ‘plan for Britain’, Mrs May said she was confident the EU would agree to tariff-free trade because it was the ‘economically rational’ thing to do.
But, addressing EU ambassadors, she declared: ‘No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain. Because we would still be able to trade with Europe.
‘We would be free to strike trade deals across the world. And we would have the freedom to set the competitive tax rates and embrace the policies that would attract the world’s best companies and biggest investors.
‘If we were excluded from accessing the single market, we would be free to change the basis of Britain’s economic model.’
Making the most important speech of her Premiership, Mrs May offered Europe
‘A great, global trading nation’ ‘We must face the future together’
both the carrot and stick as she detailed her ambition for a ‘new partnership’ with the EU. She confirmed Britain would be quitting the single market in order to take back full control of its borders and laws.
She also vowed to break free of customs union rules which prevent us from striking trade deals with the rest of the world.
Mrs May pledged to instead ‘rediscover’ the UK’s role as a ‘great, global trading nation’ which is ‘internationalist’ in outlook.
In Scotland, 62 per cent voted Remain in the EU referendum, and last month Miss Sturgeon published a 50-page report with three options: that Britain remains in the single market; Scotland gets a separate deal retaining single market membership even if the UK leaves; or there is an inde- pendence referendum. Last night, Miss Sturgeon said: ‘If that’s the path that the Tory Government is offering to Scotland – out of not just the EU but the single market with workers’ rights and all of those protections on the line, fundamental changes to the type of country that we are going to be – then I don’t think it’s right that that should happen without the Scottish people having the ability to choose whether that is what they want or whether they want to choose a different option, an independent future.’
When asked if a referendum was ‘closer’, she said: ‘Yes, undoubtedly.’ Pressed on whether it was ‘all but inevitable’, she said: ‘Well, I… yeah, I think that is very likely the case because what I’ve heard today from the Prime Minister is an inability to engage in discussions that further compromise.
‘I said that I would exhaust all options and that is what I will do. But we are going to have to see some give from the UK Government.’
During yesterday’s speech at Lancaster House, Mrs May, wearing a tartan suit, said she would ‘put the preservation of our precious Union at the heart of everything we do’, adding: ‘It is only by coming together as one great union of nations and people that we can make the most of the opportunities ahead.’
She went on: ‘A stronger Britain demands that we do something else – strengthen the precious union between the four nations of the United Kingdom.
‘At this momentous time, it is more important than ever that we face the future together, united by what makes us strong: the bonds that unite us as a people, and our shared interest in the UK being an open, successful trading nation in future.’ Mrs May said she would ‘consider’ proposals from the Scottish Government on the Brexit negotiation strategy, as well as a paper from the Welsh Government, but admitted that ‘we won’t agree on everything’ and Brexit must ‘work for the whole of the United Kingdom’.
She promised that some powers coming from the EU will be passed to the devolved administrations.
However, she appeared to rule out any prospect of offering Scotland a separate deal which retains its single market membership, or accepting an independence referendum during the Brexit negotiations, saying: ‘Our guiding principle must be to ensure that, as we leave the EU, no new barriers to living and doing business within our own Union are created.’
Ahead of the 2014 referendum, David Cameron signed an agreement with Alex Salmond transferring the power to hold the vote to Holyrood.
Although she did not categorically rule out granting an independence referendum, Mrs May strongly hinted that she could oppose such a move by declaring that keeping Britain ‘united’ is a top priority.
Ministers from across Britain will gather tomorrow at a meeting of the joint ministerial committee, where the Scottish Government’s proposals for Brexit negotiations are due to be discussed. Comment and Euan McColm – Page 14