The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
PM’s deal ‘not perfect’ but Mundell will support it
Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell has admitted that Theresa May’s Brexit deal is “not perfect”, but has announced that he will support it in a vote at Westminster tomorrow.
MPs will vote on the prime minister’s Withdrawal Agreement in the Commons after an initial vote scheduled for last month was delayed.
There are doubts over whether the deal will receive enough votes to pass, with several Conservative MPs refusing to back it.
Mr Mundell said: “The prime minister’s deal is a product of tough negotiation.
“It will mean an orderly Brexit which takes us out of the Common Fisheries Policy, guarantees EU citizens’ rights, ensures the vital transition period that businesses need and lays the foundations for negotiating our longterm future trading relationship with the EU.
“It brings certainty, and that’s what the people I speak to want. It is what business leaders across Scotland have been calling for.
“It also avoids the kind of chaos and confusion nationalists crave because they believe it would strengthen their demand for a second independence referendum.
“I do not claim it is perfect – but it does achieve key objectives.”
Mr Mundell indicated that if the prime minister’s proposals do not pass in the House of Commons, the UK could depart the EU without any deal in place.
He said: “If we do not back this deal, in just 74 days’ time the UK risks crashing out of the EU without a deal – or, we could be drifting towards a situation where we fail to respect the referendum result.”