Mundell wants ‘workable and credible’ deal for Scotland’s Brexit

The Scottish Secretary has said he would be open to a “differential arrangement” for Scotland in negotiations for leaving the European Union if it was supported by evidence.

David Mundell told Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee he hoped forthcoming Scottish Government proposals for a Scotland-specific deal would be “workable and credible”.

He said he believed the Scottish and UK governments could agree “shared priorities and a shared plan” before the triggering of two-year withdrawal talks under Article 0 David Mundell says a shared plan could be agreed 50 of the EU treaties, which Prime Minister Theresa May has said will take place by the end of March.

Mr Mundell told the committee: “I am open, and I’ve said it before, to a differential arrangement for Scotland if it can be factually shown that there is a benefit to Scotland from doing that, not just an ideological view that Scotland should somehow be different.”

He added: “I believe that if facts demonstrate that there is a benefit and a need for a differentiated Scottish position, then that should form part of the negotiating process.

“What I don’t believe is that your starting point should automatically be that there should be some separate Scottish arrangement.

“But I’m open to and have always been open to hear new information and new argument.”