Scotland demands payout

London: The proindependence Scottish National Party (SNP) yesterday demanded Prime Minister Boris Johnson pay billions of pounds in compensation to Scotland for the mounting costs and disruption of Brexit.

Brexit has strained the bonds that tie together the United Kingdom: England and Wales voted to leave but London, Northern Ireland and Scotland voted to stay.

The SNP, which wants independence for Scotland and is pushing for a second referendum, said Scottish fishermen faced grave disruption due to Brexit.

Johnson’s Conservatives ‘‘must apologise to Scottish businesses and pay compensation to Scotland for the longterm damage they are doing to our economy — costing us billions in lost trade and growth,’’ said Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader in the British parliament. — Reuters