SCOTTISH independence will become “increasingly irresistible” if Scotland is taken out of the European single market, according to the SNP.
Nicola Sturgeon stepped up her efforts to keep Scotland in the single market, amid reports that Theresa May is about to sign off on a special deal for Northern Ireland.
The First Minister retweeted a new Survation poll suggesting 47 per cent of Scots now favour breaking away from Britain, slightly higher than the 45 per cent that voted for independence in 2014.
She said: “If one part of UK can retain regulatory alignment with EU and effectively stay in the single market (which is the right solution for Northern Ireland) there is surely no good practical reason why others can’t.”
She added: “Right now, Ireland is powerfully demonstrating the importance of being independent when it comes to defending your vital national interests.
Nicola Sturgeon made the comments as Britain and the EU appear to be moving closer to agreement on key issues, including the status of the Irish border.
Arrangements which would effectively allow Northern Ireland to remain part of the European single market would prevent the return of a "hard border" between the North and the Republic of Ireland.
However, anything that ties Northern Ireland too closely to the Republic risks alienating Theresa May's allies in Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), whose votes she needs to get the Brexit Bill through parliament.
DUP Leader Arlene Foster said: "Northern Ireland must leave the EU on the same terms as the rest of the United Kingdom. We will not accept any form of regulatory divergence which separates Northern Ireland economically or politically from the rest of the United Kingdom. The economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom will not be compromised in any way."
Scotland, Northern Ireland and London voted to remain part of the EU in the referendum which was held in June 2016.
Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor, also demanded a special deal for the capital if Northern Ireland is allowed to effectively stay in the single market.
“Huge ramifications for London if Theresa May has conceded that it's possible for part of the UK to remain within the single market and customs union after Brexit,” he said.
“Londoners overwhelmingly voted to remain in the EU and a similar deal here could protect tens of thousands of jobs.”
Wales voted to Leave the EU, but Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has also joined the clamour for special deals following reports of breakthrough in Ireland.
“We cannot allow different parts of the UK to be more favourably treated than others,” he said.
“If one part of the UK is granted continued participation in the single market and customs union, then we fully expect to be made the same offer.”
Derek Mackay, the SNP business convener, said: “Too many decisions which determine our fate are still made at Westminster, including the hard line approach to Brexit that would see Scotland dragged out of the single market at a huge cost to jobs and our economy.
“As people realise how damaging that will be, independence becomes an increasingly irresistible alternative and this poll points to a clear movement in that direction.”
The SNP will table a series of amendments in the Commons today to try to prevent “the biggest power grab Scotland’s Parliament has faced since being reconvened in 1999”.
However, Scotland’s Brexit Minister Michael Russell yesterday warned the Scottish Government might still reject the Brexit Bill even if Westminster bows to its demands for more powers.
He said there are other elements of the Bill that the SNP “thoroughly dislike” beyond the proposal to transfer all the EU’s current powers to London rather than hand them to the devolved nations.
Henry McLeish, the former Labour first minister, today urged unionists to embrace a federal United Kingdom to head off the threat of independence.
“Federalism is all about ‘effective’ power,” he said.
“Rejection by Unionists will inevitably lead to an independent Scotland, time line unknown."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel