A TORY MSP has been accused of spreading disinformation over claims that Scotland would be unable to re-join the EU following independence.
Stephen Kerr, the chief whip for the Scottish Conservatives at Holyrood, claimed on Twitter that the size of Scotland’s deficit post-independence would make it ineligible for membership of the European Union.
He wrote: “A separated Scotland would start with 8.6% deficit. To join the EU the max is a 3% deficit. This means cuts.
“These facts are why it's incredible Nationalists are claiming breaking up the UK is the solution to current crises. Indy Scotland would be poorer & unable to join EU.”
However, fact-checkers have previously shown that this claim is false.
According to the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue report (GERS) Scotand’s estimated deficit for 2021/2022 was 12.3% of GDP.
Yet while all new EU members are required to work towards reducing their budget deficits to 3% or less, they can also negotiate transition periods that allow them more time to meet specific EU rules.
As such, there is precedent for countries joining the EU with a deficit higher than 3% and being pressured to reduce it while already an official member.
In 2013, Croatia joined the EU when the country’s deficit was 5.3% of GDP.
The EU then launched an Excessive Deficit Procedure and recommended ways for the country to reduce its deficit.
A spokesperson for the SNP said: “Stephen Kerr is deliberately spreading disinformation against independence because he knows there is no positive case for continued Westminster Tory control over Scotland
"There is no such rule when it comes to EU membership, and countries have joined the EU with deficits higher than 3%.
“An independent Scotland would of course run prudent public finances - a job made much easier when we escape the economic disaster of the hard Brexit he and his colleagues are imposing on Scotland in the middle of a cost of living crisis."
The Tory MSP has been criticised in the past for spreading disinformation regarding Scotland’s potential membership of the EU.
Cameron Archibald, head of research for economic think tank Modern Money Scotland, said continually repeating the falsehood constituted disinformation.
He told The National: "Stephen Kerr's comments are false, as he is confusing the Chapters of the Acquis and EU Stability Programmes.
"Chapters of the Acquis sets out the criteria for which countries must meet to join the EU. There is no reference to deficit or debt targets in these chapters. Croatia joined the EU in 2013 with a government deficit above 3% to GDP, including the year it joined. Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 with a deficit to GDP of 3.7%, and the year prior at 5.9%.
"Kerr is referring to EU Stability Programmes that are intended for countries who adopt the Euro and must follow the Fiscal Compact. However, this does not apply to non-Euro countries. The Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Sweden, and Hungary are all exempt from the Fiscal Compact.
"An independent Scotland with its own currency and central bank would also be exempt from the Fiscal Compact, and would not need to meet specific deficit targets.
"These rules are clear. Repeating this once is misinformation. Repeating this multiple times is disinformation and detrimental to our national discourse."
Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer added: "We will take no lectures on EU membership from Tories like Stephen Kerr.
"It was the Conservative government he supports which dragged us out of Europe and inflicted a disastrous Brexit that has hammered businesses, increased prices and curbed our right to live and study abroad."
"His claims are also out of date, given that the EU fiscal rules around deficits were suspended due to the pandemic and discussions are underway to reform them.
"Being generous, Mr Kerr knows this and simply didn't want to miss the opportunity to call for even more needless austerity.
"Deep down though, I'm sure he realises that most people in Scotland will choose independence in Europe over his Brexit Britain when the time comes."
The Scottish Conservatives have been approached for comment.
