PM peddling ‘fake news’ over Brexit

THERESA May is attempting a “con trick” over Brexit and the single market, Scotland’s Brexit Minister Mike Russell has claimed.

The Prime Minister is expected to give more detail on the UK’s negotiating position with the EU in a much-trailed speech on Tuesday.

But Mr Russell claimed she would be “trying to pull the wool over our eyes” with “fake news” over her single market plan.

He said: “There is no doubt that leaving the single market would be disastrous for jobs and the economy – that’s why the anti-European Tory fanatics are trying to pull the wool over our eyes by talking about this idea of ‘access’ to the single market.

He added: “The Tories are continuing to push a hard Brexit as a good thing in the face of all of the evidence to the contrary – and despite her previous support for remaining in the EU and in the single market, Ruth Davidson has fallen right into line.

“Indeed, she is pushing harder than many others, in order to curry favour with the new Prime Minister.

“It is time to call this Tory fake news out for what it is.

“What we need to hear from Theresa May this week is a clear recognition that leaving the single market would be disastrous for jobs and the economy – and a commitment to work with the Scottish Government to respect the wishes of the people of Scotland.”