THE boss of the Royal Bank of Scotland has warned it will enact its Brexit plans by the end of March – unless clarity emerges about the UK’s ability to retain access to the European Single Market after the country leaves the bloc in 2019.

The Edinburgh-based part-taxpayer owned bank is in talks with the Dutch central bank to use the Netherlands as its trading base in the European Union once Britain exits the EU.

But chief executive Ross McEwan said: “By the end of the first quarter of next year if we don’t know what the banking arrangements with Europe look like we will have to start activating our plans.”

Mr McEwan said the bank serves 250 large corporate firms in Europe and has tens of thousands of British customers who are depending on the lender to be able to access Europe’s markets without disruption.

Meanwhile, a Scots Tory MP has admitted she did not vote in the Brexit referendum because the de c i s ion w a s “ ver y difficult”.

Angus MP Kirstene Hair said she left the choice to “everyone else” and decided to go with the “will of the UK”, although she thought the Remain side would triumph.

Ms Hair said there were strong arguments on both sides of the European Union referendum debate but now “we all have to get behind” Brexit.

She said: “I didn’t vote on Brexit.

“I took the decision not to vote on it. It was incredibly difficult. The first time I’ve never voted in my life.

“It was very difficult because you get two arguments, very strong on both sides.

“I just ultimately couldn’t make that decision and I thought I would therefore go with the will of the UK.”