‘You want to leave anyway!’ PM hits back at Angus Robertson’s ‘Little Britain Brexit’ jibe

The Prime Minister faced accusations from Mr Robertson she is “stringing the people of Scotland along” over Brexit following the unveiling of her EU exit blueprint yesterday.

In a major speech, Mrs May confirmed the UK will be quitting the EU’s Single Market in order to regain control of immigration and end the influence of EU judges over British laws.

During the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon, Mr Robertson hit out at “the hard Tory Brexit plan” revealed by Mrs May as he cited forecasts claiming incomes will drop by £2,000 and 80,000 Scottish people may lose their jobs through the UK quitting the Single Market.

Referring to today's front page of German newspaper Die Welt, Mr Robertson asked: “Does the Prime Minister believe that this is the price worth paying for her 'Little Britain' Brexit?”

Mr Robertson also snapped at Conservative MPs “jeering and cheering” as he spoke in the House of Commons.

DIE WELT

German newspaper Die Welt's front page

Does the Prime Minister believe that this is the price worth paying for her 'Little Britain' Brexit?

Angus Robertson

Having yesterday outlined her aim of securing a free trade deal with the EU during divorce talks, Mrs May replied: “We will be working to ensure we get the best possible deal in terms of access to the Single Market and continuing to co-operate in partnership with the remaining 27 member states of the EU.”

She also derided Mr Robertson for highlighting “the possibility of a negative impact on Scotland if Scotland were not part of the Single Market”.

Despite the SNP’s campaign for Scottish independence, Scotland has regularly be warned it will have to re-apply for EU membership as a new member state should it quit the EU – an outcome that would be strongly resisted by countries facing their own independence movements such as Spain.

The Prime Minister told Mr Robertson: “His party is dedicated of taking Scotland out of the Single Market by taking it out of the UK.”

PARLIAMENT.TV

Theresa May dismissed SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson's jibe

Mr Robertson had earlier pointed to a “large cross-party majority” vote in the Scottish Parliament yesterday for Scotland to remain in the Single Market, in the wake of the Prime Minister’s speech.

He said: “The Prime Minister has said 'Scotland is an equal partner in the UK' does she still believe this is true or is she just stringing the people of Scotland along?”

Mrs May insisted her major Brexit speech yesterday had repeated her commitment to work with all devolved administrations “to ensure their voice is heard” and “their interests are taken into account as we proceed along this path of negotiating our exit from the EU”.

Last month, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled her own Brexit plan for Scotland to keep the country in the Single Market even if the rest of the UK leaves.

The Prime Minister said the Joint Ministerial Council, including representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, would be “seriously” considering Ms Sturgeon’s plan and “working with the Scottish Government on the proposals they bring forward.”

Original Article