The Scottish Parliament will debate a cross party motion this afternoon, outlining a combined view against the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement which will be voted on next Tuesday at Westminster. It is proposed by all parties at Holyrood except the Conservatives and so is likely to be agreed.
The SNP, Labour, the Scottish Greens and the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament have agreed a motion, opposing the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration.
The motion reads : “That the Parliament agrees that both a no deal outcome and the outcomes arising from the withdrawal agreement and political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK, as presented to the House of Commons by the Prime Minister, would be damaging for Scotland and the nations and regions of the UK as a whole, and therefore recommends that they be rejected and that a better alternative be taken forward.”
Speaking ahead of a debate on a cross-party motion in Holyrood, Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell, said: “The Prime Minister’s Brexit deal will make Scotland poorer and deliver continued uncertainty. It will mean years of further negotiations with no guarantee that a trade deal with the EU will even be agreed.
“This is a historic opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to come together and formally oppose both a ‘no deal’ option and the Prime Minister’s damaging Brexit deal.
“The UK Government’s own analysis, as well as the detailed assessment from the Scottish Government, shows why the draft Brexit deal is unacceptable – it would make us poorer while extending uncertainty.
“It would take Scotland out of the EU against our will, removing us from the Customs Union and the European Single Market of 500 million people – eight times larger than the UK market alone – and place Scotland at a serious competitive disadvantage with Northern Ireland.
“Our first priority is staying in the EU, in line with the overwhelming vote in Scotland to remain, and we support another referendum on EU membership. Short of that, the least damaging option is to remain in the Single Market and Customs Union.
“i welcome the cooperation we have seen so far in The Scottish Parliament. We should now reach a consensus and oppose both the proposed draft Brexit deal and the suggestion a no deal Brexit is the only alternative.”
SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVES
The Scottish Conservatives say they will oppose the joint SNP, Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat motion in today’s Holyrood Brexit debate.
The party’s constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins said the SNP and Greens were using the debate purely to manufacture more grievance as part of their drive for a second referendum on independence.
Labour and the Lib Dems were acting as the SNP’s “little helpers”, he added.
He said that the Scottish Conservatives will – alone in Scotland – stand up for the decisions made by people in the two referendums held in recent years: backing the decision of Scotland to remain in the UK, and the decision of the UK to leave the European Union.
Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins said: “The Scottish Conservatives will, alone, oppose the motion set out by the SNP, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens today.
“We know what the SNP and Greens are trying to do with this needless debate – they want to use it to manufacture yet more grievance as part of their push for a second independence referendum.
“That Labour and the Liberal Democrats have once again fallen into line with the nationalists is disappointing but hardly surprising.
“It’s a choice they’ve taken at every step since the Brexit referendum was held.
“Willie Rennie and Richard Leonard are Nicola Sturgeon’s little helpers.
“The Scottish Conservatives are the only party committed to respecting the results of both referendums we have held in the last four years.
“That clear, democratic principle is one we will seek to uphold in the Scottish Parliament today, in defiance of the SNP’s games.”
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today said that the Scottish Parliament’s imminent rejection of the Prime Minister’s deal and a no deal scenario will demonstrate the “rising tide” of support for a People’s Vote.
Willie Rennie said: “The Scottish Parliament is poised to reject the Prime Minister’s dreadful deal and the horrific prospect of a no-deal exit. This is the rising tide. Every MP voting in Westminster needs to check their conscience before considering lending their support to a deal that will make their constituents poorer.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats will not sit by and watch as Conservative infighting sabotages our economy, cripples our public services and loses us jobs. There is no Brexit deal that can match the settlement we have today. The deal isn’t good enough. The best option is to remain in the EU.
“This vote will inevitably foreshadow Westminster’s rejection of Theresa May’s plan next week. The government has had two years to contend with this problem and they have failed. The people must have the final say.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
