Rowley calls for PM to negotiate Scottish deal

Scottish Labour’s deputy leader has joined the SNP in calling for Theresa May to pursue “hard” Brexit exemptions for Scotland as well as the City of London.

Fife MSP Alex Rowley also echoed senior Nationalists in demanding immigration powers are handed over to Holyrood.

Speaking at a meeting in Dunfermline, he renewed his appeal for a “new constitutional settlement fit for the 21st Century”.

Mrs May is exploring ways of retaining free access to the single market for London’s financial centre, while the UK as a whole looks set to sacrifice full membership of the tarifffree zone.

SNP figures have said it would be unacceptable if the Prime Minister did not look at a special deal for Scotland when she is doing so for the City.

Mr Rowley said: “If it is right for the City of London to get a deal on access, then it is equally right for Scotland to state the case for tariff free access to the single market, for Scotland to be in a position to agree immigration policy to meet the needs of our economy and for Scotland to set the condition that there will be no rowing back on employment rights which supports wages and workplace justice.”