First Minister claims draft deal would be ‘bad for Scotland’

The first minister has branded the draft Brexit deal agreed by the UK Cabinet as “bad for Scotland”.

Theresa May announced an agreement had been reached after a five-hour meeting.

Nicola Sturgeon likened the deal to being “blackmailed into a choice between the frying pan or the fire”, claiming it posed a threat to jobs.

However, Scottish Secretary David Mundell said it would be worse for Scotland to crash out with no agreement, so he was happy to give it his backing.

Ms Sturgeon said: “It is obvious that the prime minister can barely unite her Cabinet on this deal and it is also increasingly clear that she will struggle to get a majority for it in parliament.

“In these circumstances it is more important than ever that we are not faced with a false choice between a bad deal and no deal.

“No one should be effectively blackmailed into a choice between the frying pan or the fire.

“This proposed deal would be a bad one for Scotland, taking us out of a single market eight times the size of the UK market alone and posing a huge threat to jobs, investment and living standards.

“If this deal is indeed rejected by parliament, then the UK Government must return to the negotiating table to secure a better one.

“Our bottom line – short of continued EU membership – is continued, permanent membership of the single market and customs union.”

Mr Mundell said: “The worst possible outcome for Scotland and the whole of the UK would be a no deal departure from the EU.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Greens Europe spokesman Ross Greer MSP said: “This is a bad deal for Scotland. Holyrood should debate it and reject it as soon as possible.”

It is more important than ever that we are not faced with a false choice between a bad deal and no deal. NICOLA STURGEON