There is no desire in Scotland for membership of the EU, Scotland Secretary Alister Jack has claimed.
He told MPs there are “many benefits of leaving the EU for Scotland”, as SNP members voiced concern about Brexit during Scotland questions in the Commons.
Central Ayrshire SNP MP Philippa Whitford spoke of the “negative impacts of Brexit on individuals, businesses, universities and public services in Scotland”, adding: “There simply are no real Brexit opportunities or sunlit uplands. So does it come as a surprise to the secretary of state that a poll last year showed 69% of Scottish voters want to rejoin the EU?”
Jack replied: “Regarding the benefits of Brexit, opinion polls come and go, we have seen 59% of Scots wanting to remain in the UK last week, I notice that opinion poll wasn’t quoted.
“But what I would say about the benefits of Brexit, we can make our own trade deals and we’ve made 71 to date.”
Whitford added: “With the Labour Party having now lashed itself to the mast of the floundering Brexit ship, does the secretary of state at least recognise the only route back to the EU for Scotland is an independent country?”
Jack replied: “The deficit in Scotland is considerably higher than the 3%, which is the Maastricht criteria, that is not the route back.
“The currency is a problem as well because, as we know, the Bank of England is the bank of last resort and there would have to be a new currency in Scotland followed by membership of the EU.
“There’s no desire in Scotland to have membership of the EU, I believe Scots when they stop and look at the detail, whether it’s on their pensions, whether it’s on trade, whether it’s on currency, they stop, they think about it and they know that their home is the UK.”
Motherwell and Wishaw SNP MP Marion Fellows branded Brexit a “Tory imposed act of economic self-harm”, arguing Scottish exports had “plummeted by £2.2bn over the two years since Brexit, which has already cost Scotland’s economy around £4bn”.
Jack replied: “In the first two quarters of 2022, the UK did more trade with the EU than it did in any quarter when we were members of the EU.”
The SNP’s Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley then asked the minister: “Scotland didn’t vote for Brexit… so does he think it’s right that Scotland should suffer due to his party’s extreme Brexit ideology?”
Jack replied: “This government respects democracy, it respects the outcome of referendums.”
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