The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Government accused of hiding Brexit study
scotland: Call for Government to publish report showing Brexit effect north of the border
UK ministers have been accused of suppressing a study showing Scots will be among the biggest losers from Brexit.
The SNP is demanding the “wall of secrecy” over Scotland’s predicted fate from leaving the EU is knocked down by publishing the analysis.
Meanwhile, Shadow chancellor John McDonnell suggested he is working with Conservative MPs to block a “no deal”, a scenario he said he will “not countenance”.
And last night it emerged that Prime Minister Theresa May is heading to Brussels today for Brexit talks with European Union chiefs.
The Prime Minister will meet Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and chief negotiator Michel Barnier just days after they said exit negotiations were deadlocked.
Mrs May, who will be joined by Brexit Secretary David Davis, is expected to have discussions with European counterparts over the coming days ahead of a meeting of all EU leaders later in the week. A former senior staffer at the Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU) claims an assessment of Scotland’s economic prospects exists and makes grim reading.
It refers to Scotland and the northeast of England suffering harsher economic effects from leaving the EU than any other part of the UK.
A DExEU response to a Freedom of Information request of the study to be published neither confirmed nor denied the existence of such a report.
It said to do so could undermine the EU negotiations and trigger a “reactionary” response that risks damaging Britain’s economy.
Stephen Gethins, the SNP’s Europe spokesman, said: “It is unacceptable that somewhere in Whitehall there is a paper that shows just how bad leaving Europe will be for Scotland – but it is to be kept secret from the public.”
A DExEU spokesman said: “We are committed to transparency and we are engaging extensively with the devolved administrations, along with organisations, institutions and businesses, in order to secure a deal that works in the interests of the whole UK.
“However, we must balance this approach against the need to ensure that we do not undermine our negotiations with the EU.”
Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show yesterday, Mr McDonnell said there is a majority in the Commons against a “no deal”, prompting speculation he has linked up with rebel Tories.
Mr McDonnell said: “I don’t think there’s a majority for no deal. I think on a cross-party basis you’ll see in the debates in the coming week.”
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP told Marr: “John McDonnell threatening to derail this bill is John McDonnell threatening to create the kind of chaotic Brexit he himself is warning against.”
This week ministers from across the UK, including Scotland, will sit down in London to discuss Brexit for the first joint ministerial committee meeting for eight months.
Itis unacceptable that somewhere in Whitehall there is a paper that shows just how bad leaving Europe will be for Scotland – but it is to be kept secret from the public. STEPHEN GETHINS MSP