THE SNP have reiterated their desire for an independent Scotland to return to the EU as it celebrates 30 years of the single market.
This comes as MP Alyn Smith described the financial impact of Scotland leaving the EU as “catastrophic”.
He added that independence was the only way for the country to return.
Speaking to The National, Smith said: “The SNP sends their best wishes to our European allies as they celebrate thirty years of the world’s largest single market.”
Estimates suggest the single market increased the EU’s GDP by as much as 9%, reaching 447 million consumers and 23 million companies.
By contrast, since the UK’s removal from the single market, GDP has estimated to have fallen by 5.5% - the equivalent of £40 billion per annum in tax revenue.
Smith continued: "The power of the single market cannot be overstated. With both Labour and the Liberal Democrats joining the Tories in their pro-Brexit stance, it is clear that only the SNP is willing to fight for Scotland’s return.
“Be in no doubt, despite being dragged out of the European Union against its will, work is well underway for Scotland to gain its independence and begin the process of re-gaining our membership.”
Since 2016, poll after poll has shown that the majority of Scots want to regain membership of the EU.
An interactive map is also available which shows the export value which has been lost across Scotland’s council areas.
For example, the Highland region has lost £95.6 million while Perth and Kinross has missed out on £61.7m.
Research conducted last year found that 69% of Scots would vote to re-join the EU. Last week, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack claimed that there was ‘no desire’ within Scotland to return to the EU – a statement the Scotland Office refused to retract.
He said: “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 in the UK.”
A poll conducted on The National’s website found that 90% of 5793 participants answered “Yes” to the question “Do you want Scotland to re-join the EU?”
The SNP have previously slated Labour leader Keir Starmer for embracing the “wrecking ball” of Brexit following his speech at the beginning of the year.
He has previously said he wants to embrace the “take back control” message of the Leave campaign and confessed to having sympathy with the “basic case” presented by Leave supporters.
Starmer reaffirmed his support for exploring the “full potential” of what the UK can do outside the EU’s single market during an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday.
He insisted that leaving the EU did not necessarily mean that the UK was destined to be any poorer.
The Labour leader said the UK economy did not always have to be “smaller” as a result of Brexit.
“So long as we improve upon the deal we’ve got, I don’t accept that”, he said.
Starmer continued: “What people desperately want going into the election is to feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that things can get better.
“I would also add this. The economy has not grown significantly for 13 years – that has been an absolute failure of this Government.
“So even before Brexit, we had a failure under this Tory government with our economy. I’m determined that we will fix that.”
It has already been reported that the UK will suffer the worst recession of any of the world’s top economies as its high rate of inflation is exacerbated by the effects of Brexit following a year of economic turmoil.
