Theresa May visits Bridge of Weir yesterday on the latest stop of her nationwide tour to sell her Brexit plan to the public
Deal will allow ‘fast track’ extradition from Europe – but no-deal will raise risks says Wallace
Chris Marshall
Theresa May has insisted Scotland’s business leaders are behind her Brexit deal as she warned Nicola Sturgeon to stop exploiting the issue to push for a second referendum.
The Prime Minister used a flying visit north of the Border yesterday to dismiss the Scottish Government’s report this week which suggested Scotland would be £9 billion worse off under the proposed deal.
Mrs May visited the Scottish Leather Group in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, where she met workers and staff to make the case for the deal she has struck with Brussels. It was the latest stop on her nationwide tour to sell her plan directly to the people as defeat in the House of Commons looks increasingly likely in a fortnight.
The Prime Minister accused opponents of seeking to undermine Brexit after Shadow Chancellor John Mcdonnell suggested that a second referendum on Brexit was now “inevitable”.
The Tory leader made it clear that Ms Sturgeon is facing a flat refusal when, as expected, the Scottish Government next year seeks a “section 30” order from Westminster to allow a second independence referendum. The Prime Minister instead insisted Brexit is a Ukwide issue.
“Now is not the time to be thinking about this,” Mrs May said.
“The United Kingdom faces a really important decision, it’s a historic moment for the UK. We entered the EEC, as it was, as a whole UK, we’re leaving the EU as a whole United Kingdom.
“What we’ve negotiated is a Brexit deal that is good for the UK as a whole, it’s good for Scotland. It’s good for employers like Bridge of Weir here, it’s good for Scottish fishermen. Support for deal has been encouraged by employers like Diageo, organisations like the Scotch Whisky Association and the National Farmers Union of Scotland.
“One thing we do know is that what would be bad for the Scottish economy would be taking Scotland out of the United Kingdom.” Scottish Government research published this week’s indicated that the economic impact of the free trade deal would see Scots lose out the tune of about £1,600 per head, compared with staying in the EU.
The figures had been set out in a previous Scottish Government report from January.
The Prime Minister said: “As I understand it what they didn’t do was actually model or look at the deal that we have negotiated and the specifics of the deal that the government has proposed.
“The one thing I do know is that what would have most economic impact on the Scottish economy would be if Scotland was to become independent from the United Kingdom.
“It is the internal market of the UK that is four times greater for Scotland than the market with the European Union.”
She also claimed “Scotland’s interests have been taken into account throughout the negotiations we’ve been doing”,
arguing that leaving Europe gives the UK the chance to negotiate its own trade deals, which could help “iconic Scottish products like smoked salmon and Scotch whisky”.
“There have been a number of employers here in Scotland, and organisations here in Scotland that have said that support for the deal is important,” Mrs May added.
“I’ve been hearing today in Bridge of Weir about the importance of a Free Trade area for the supply chains that the company and others in Scotland depend on.
“That’s what we’re proposing that’s what we’ve put forward that’s what we’ve got in the political declaration. No tariffs, no fees – free trade area. That’s what will protect jobs in Scotland.”
Britain will retain the ability to “fast-track” the extradition of criminals from other EU countries following Brexit, it has been claimed.
Security minister Ben Wallace will today address law enforcement and security leaders in London and is expected to warn that a no-deal Brexit would leave both the UK and EU at an increased risk. Following EU withdrawal, Britain will no longer be part of the European Arrest Warrant or Europol.
But Mr Wallace is expected to outline how the deal with the EU will allow information exchange on criminals, tackle terrorism and combat evolving threats such as cyber security.
He is expected to say: “The UK, through her experience of the last few decades, has
learnt that at the heart of effective security is close co-operation. And we and Europe know, from bitter experience, that often when there is a mistake or when something has been missed that we find, time and time again, that it has been due to a failure of co-operation.
“A no-deal situation would have a real impact on our ability to work with our European partners.
“This deal strikes the right balance to keep everyone safe. It will be an ambitious partnership that ensures we can continue to work with our European partners in tackling our shared threats.”
Earlier this year, Lord Advocate James Wolffe warned that a no-deal Brexit would make it harder to extradite foreign criminals who flee Scotland.