No time to waste, first ministers warn - May must delay Brexit now

Theresa May must allow Brexit to be delayed and rule out the “catastrophe” of a no-deal exit from the EU, the leaders of Scotland and Wales have said ahead of the latest round of intergovernmental meetings.

In a joint statement, Nicola Sturgeon and her Welsh counterpart, Mark Drakeford, said there was “no time to waste” with just 50 days until Brexit, and no sign of a breakthrough in securing a negotiated exit deal. They pointed to mounting businesses warnings about the impact of a no-deal Brexit, including announcements of job losses at a Welsh automaker and cancelled investment at the Nissan plant in Sunderland.

Ahead of a Joint Minister Committee meeting in London today, they said the Prime Minister must request an extension to the Article 50 deadline and drop her Brexit red lines.

“All the evidence we have seen to date suggests that the UK is simply not prepared for a no-deal Brexit in less than two months’ time,” the two first ministers said.

“Our firm view is that such an outcome to the Brexit negotiations would be a catastrophe which would cause significant short-term disruption to the lives of ordinary citizens as well as to businesses and longterm harm to our economy.”

Ms Sturgeon and Mr Drakeford dismissed proposals from a group of Conservative MPS for a ‘compromise’ Brexit position that would delay the impact of no-deal 0 Mark Drakeford hightlighted business warnings

by two and a half years. “While a longer period to prepare for no deal as proposed by some Conservative MPS might reduce the risk of people in Scotland and Wales being unable to access the medicines that they need or the range of foods they want to buy, it would do nothing to mitigate the longer-term economic damage,” they said.

“We therefore renew our call for the Prime Minister to make clear that she and her government will ensure ‘no deal’ is taken off the table. This should include putting forward secondary legislation now to remove 29 March 2019 as Exit Day from the EU (Withdrawal) Act.”

Shadow Scottish Secretary Lesley Laird and STUC General Secretary Grahame Smith also called for no deal to be ruled out in a joint letter to Scottish Secretary David Mundell. “It is shameful that the UK government still maintains that this an option,” Ms Laird said.

Mr Mundell called on the Scottish Government to “work constructively” with UK ministers.