A WEEK is a long time in politics, and what a long week it has been.
Crisis and chaos has engulfed Westminster over the Brexit deal. A Brexit deal that is already dead in the water with the Prime Minister’s own authority at risk as the Tory Party implodes with resignation after resignation from the Government. It is increasingly clear, the Prime Minister is, or now, still in office – but she is not in power.
The Brexit deal satisfies no one, not least the people of Scotland. Instead of coming back with a deal that protects the economy across the UK, the Prime Minister has shown utter contempt once again to the Scottish people. Despite the fact that Scotland voted to remain in the European Union, the Prime Minister has decided to ignore our interests. Yet, the UK Government has agreed a differentiated deal for Northern Ireland – but sold Scotland out. Quite rightly, Northern Ireland is to receive access to the European market, but that differentiation puts Scotland at a real competitive disadvantage. We are being left high and dry by this deal. England and Wales will get what they voted for, remain voting Northern Ireland is guaranteed a special deal to stay close to the EU, yet Scotland, with the highest vote to remain of any UK nation, has our democratic wishes ignored. Instead, Theresa May wants Scotland to pay the price of a Brexit we didn’t support - with lost jobs, household incomes slashed and our NHS under threat.
Now I won’t pretend that I expect any Tory Party leader to put the interests of Scotland before their narrow party political interests – the broken promises of consecutive conservative leaders have taught us not to expect anything less from them. However, the context in which this conservative leader finds herself should at least cause the Prime Minister to pause for serious consideration. Consideration of the offering we in the Scottish National Party have put to her time and time again. We will vote for a deal that delivers membership of the Single Market and the Customs Union. Such a deal would protect our economy, safeguard jobs and maintain living standards. Anything less is economic catastrophe. With 35 strong MPs, the SNP has 35 votes – and with the parliamentary arithmetic as it is, stacked against the Prime Minister and her insufficient deal, Theresa May should start listening. She should change course.
It is time for the Prime Minister to return to Brussels and extend Article 50 to secure continued membership of the single market and the customs union. It is time for the Prime Minister to take her head out of the sand and be realistic. Thousands of jobs will be lost unless a deal is secured that will protect the future of economy. It is completely reckless to risk. Playing a game of wait and see isn’t good enough. There is little time left, the Prime Minister cannot sit and wait to see if the Brexiteers to come with their pitchforks. She needs to show some leadership and recognise her deal cannot get through the commons, therefore she must deliver a new deal. Only one deal will carry a majority and secure our economic future – and that is a deal that secures continued membership of the single market and the customs union.
It has been an excruciating week for the Prime Minister, her party is divided and now she is desperate. There is only one way to see off defeat, and that is to finally put the interests of citizens across the UK first not the interests of the Tory Party. I urge the Prime Minister to take the compromise and keep us in the single market and the customs union. Should she fail, she will not be forgiven and I do not mean just by those with the pitchforks in her own party. The SNP will not allow Scotland’s future to be put at risk or our economy to be ripped apart. We will go to the people again – and we will ask them to choose between two futures – with the UK out of Europe with a tarnished economy – or an independent Scotland, within Europe with a vibrant and prosperous economy. The Prime Minister must awaken to that reality.
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