Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn leave SNP MP red-faced as EU trade argument is destroyed

Stewart Hosie, the party's economic spokesman, claimed exports to the rest of the world and Europe had risen dramatically over recent years compared to trade with the UK.

As he argued Scottish business deals were up 50 per cent in seven years globally, Mr Hosie was quizzed on where the evidence was to back the claim up.

“We’ll happily publish those figures, I’ve got them, we’ve seen them, we’ve been through this stuff,” he said during an interview on Daily Politics.

BBC

Andrew Neil destroyed the SNP's Brexit economy argument during Daily Politics

It’s not true!

Andrew Neil

“What we can’t do is surrender the growth we’ve been seeing with the EU and the growth we’ve been seeing globally, driven by EU trade agreements - so it’s vital, among other things, we have trade agreements to replace those that we are going to lose.”

Andrew Neil interrupted: “I’ve got the Scottish exports here, issued by the Scottish Government."

Looking at the data on a computer screen, Mr Neil said: “Scottish exports to the European Union in 2002 were just over £10bn – in 2014/15 they were just over £10bn – it hasn’t moved in over 10 years.”

BBC

Stewart Hosie argued Scottish exports risen most with the EU and gobally

Under-pressure, the SNP politician said he would “happily” publish the figures he had quoted, reiterating the questionable fact Scottish exports outside the UK were worth more.

Having none of it, the veteran BBC broadcaster dealt another blow to the floundering trade argument.

“The increase of trade to the rest of the UK from Scotland – under £30bn in 2002 and almost £50bn in 2014 – that’s where the rise is!”

BBC

Andrew Neil claimed the figures did not match those released by the Scottish Government

Given time to regain his dignity after the grilling, Mr Hosie continued: “The point I’m making is that we cannot surrender trade growth and access to EU and global markets by abandoning the EU trade treaty until others are put in place.”

The latest statics show Scotland exported £49.8bn to the rest of the UK in 2015 – an increase of £2.1bn on the previous year.

Meanwhile, exports to the EU grew at a slower pace, with and increase of £520m to a total of £12.3bn in the same period.

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Mr Hosie was also lambasted over recent claims by the SNP’s Joannna Cherry who suggested Scotland was England’s largest export destination.

Jumping to her defence, he said: “That was in the context of the European Union. She was absolutely right. It’s the biggest export market in the EU.”

Losing his patients, Mr Neil was once again forced to interrupt: “Excuse me I did that interview, she said quite plainly that Scotland was England’s biggest export market.

“It was just the EU, and Alex Salmond said on Radio 4 ‘Scotland is England’s biggest export market’ – it’s not true!”

Original Article