MHAIRI Black has slammed the UK Government’s “deluded defence” of Brexit – as she demanded the Tories admit the project has “failed”.
The SNP’s deputy Westminster leader challenged deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, filling in for Rishi Sunak while he is in Japan for the G7, in the Commons on Wednesday as a major UK car manufacturer sounded a major warning about the UK’s Brexit deal.
Vauxhall’s parent company Stellantis said earlier in the day the terms of Britain’s deal with the EU meant it would not be able to keep commitments on building electric vehicles in the UK.
Black said the “only thing more deluded” than the Tory MP’s defence of Brexit was the Labour Party’s “support” for remaining outside the trading bloc.
She said: “In 2016, the deputy prime minister told his constituents in a blog that it was his duty to, and I quote, ‘furnish them with all the facts that are available with regards to Brexit’.
“Today, Brexit Britain higher food prices, a lack of workers, a shrinking economy and a decline in living standards. Why is he happy to ignore those facts?”
Dowden replied: “We have one of the fastest growth rates in the whole of the G7 since Brexit and we all know – and in fairness – we all know the policy of the SNP and they said it this weekend, and I quote ‘we need to undo Brexit’.
“But let me tell you, if I were them, I’d start by undoing the mess they’ve left Scotland in and start working with the United Kingdom Government and focus on the priorities of the Scottish people not the priorities of their party.
Black hit back, pointing to an extraordinary intervention from one of the key agitators for Brexit Nigel Farage, who admitted earlier this week the project had “failed”.
She said: “The only thing more deluded than that defence of Brexit is the Labour Party’s support of it.
“Just today, the world’s fourth-largest largest car manufacturer said that Brexit was, and again I quote, ‘a threat to our export business and the sustainability of our UK manufacturing options’.
“Even Nigel Farage can admit that Brexit has failed so why can’t he?”
Dowden was met with jeers during his reply when he wrongly claimed the SNP had been in government in Scotland – the party has ruled since 2007 – with SNP MPs pointing their fingers to the sky at the deputy PM.
Dowden said: “One of the best ways of getting behind industry, is get behind the trade deals we’re striking with many countries around the world, which they’ve singularly failed to oppose [sic].
“And I see last week, the SNP promised to build a new Scotland. I don’t know whether she’s aware, but the SNP have been in power for 13 years. They should stop their focus on independence and focus on the priorities of the Scottish people.”
