NO DEAL ..NO WAY
Davidson says she wants free-trade agreement with EU
RUTH Davidson yesterday insisted she would oppose a No Deal Brexit despite Tory claims it would be better than a bad deal.
The Scottish Tory leader said she would not back a hard Brexit that left the UK reliant on World Trade Organisation rules, which would mean costly tariffs on the import and export of goods between us and the European Union.
Davidson’s position could put her on a collision course with Prime Minister Theresa May if the Brexit talks hit difficulties.
The Edinburgh Central MSP – who campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum – told ITV’s Peston on Sunday she accepts the UK will be leaving the EU single market and customs union.
But she said she wanted the softest Brexit possible. She added: “What I want is to make sure that we’ve got a comprehensive free-trade agreement with the EU.
“That we’re able to, in the Prime Minister’s words, trade with and operate within, to the maximum possible extent, the single market. I think that’s right for Scottish businesses, for UK businesses.
“But I also accept the idea that if we are going to leave the EU then as well as getting a trade deal with the EU, we should be able to get trade deals with other countries too.”
And asked if it was possible the UK cabinet could decide on a policy she couldn’t support, Davidson said: “Certainly. Falling out on WTO rules would not be something that I think would be in the benefit of my constituency in Edinburgh or in the country as it is.
“But I don’t think anybody’s working to a No Deal scenario.
“Nobody, whether they’re me or a Leaver like Boris Johnson wants to see lorries stacked up at Dover. We want to make sure that facilitations are made for UK companies to succeed.”