Theresa May’s flying visit to Scotland just won’t cut it

By Nicola Sturgeon, 29/03/18

It’s one year to go until the UK is set to leave the EU. To mark the occasion, Theresa May has made a flying visit to Scotland. The Prime Minister’s trip is so brief that she’s also visiting Newcastle, Wales and Northern Ireland – and all before teatime. This arrogant attitude to Scotland from Tory Prime Minister’s is nothing new. But since the EU referendum, it has been the cornerstone of this Tory government’s approach. And with just one year to go, Theresa May still refuses to tell us exactly what Brexit will mean to our everyday lives. The Scottish Government has published a new paper detailing the impact of Brexit on people in Scotland. Not just facts and figures but the voices of people across Scotland. That is what should be at the heart of this process – the impact on you and your family. Whether you voted Remain or Leave, there’s one thing that is very clear: Brexit will affect almost every aspect of our daily lives in some way or another. Whether it is our NHS, our economy, jobs or even the cost of a holiday – Brexit will undoubtedly have an impact. What has been the impact so far? The most immediate is that the pound in your pocket is worth less and prices have gone up.  And it stands to reason that if Brexit has a negative impact on our economy then there will be less money for public services too. Leave-supporting politicians promised £350 million more every week for the NHS. The truth is that that cheque will be forever lost in the post. Fact is Brexit will mean less money for vital public services like schools and hospitals. There are those who tell us to ignore all the evidence. They say everything will be fine. The Tory government even went as far as to hide their own evidence about the impact on our economy. We refuse to be so reckless. Scotland did not vote for Brexit. If the UK is to leave the EU, we must do so in the least damaging way possible. We’ve argued the case for adopting the Norwegian model. Norway is not a member of the EU but, in almost all areas, Norwegian businesses trade across the EU without extra charges or barriers. That’s because Norway is in the Single Market – the world’s biggest, most prosperous market place – eight times bigger than the UK alone. When we’re looking at countries to emulate, Norway is a good start. Our near neighbour regularly tops the table for wealth, equality and living standards. Yet so far, in meeting after meeting, the Prime Minister has refused to listen to this common-sense argument. And at every turn Labour has backed up her job-destroying plan for an extreme Brexit. Tory and Labour elites would have us believe that the important decisions on Brexit have already been made for us, regardless of the impact on you and your family. I refuse to accept that our future has been decided for us. Scotland’s voice cannot simply be brushed aside.

A day trip from the Prime Minister just won’t cut it. That’s not leadership. My pledge is to continue standing up for you and your family. To listen to your concerns, to fight to protect jobs and your living standards. I won’t let the Westminster elites forget about you in the Brexit process.