THE scale and scope of the political fallout in the weeks following the EU Referendum result was almost unprecedented in modern British politics.

Resignations, political back-stabbings, and leadership coronations followed each other thick and fast, relegating the key questions that needed to be raised in the aftermath of the result to the back of the news sections.

It’s only now, when the immediate shock of the result has worn off and Parliament has shut down for recess, that the real examination of the possible consequences of withdrawal from the EU for people here in Scotland are coming close to being fully addressed. While the Scottish Government have already knuckled down to the responsibility of ensuring that the democratic will of the people here is properly respected, there now also needs to be a closer examination of the Tory Government’s plans for the future and what they would mean for Scotland.

This is especially important given the lack of preparation that took place for this outcome across both the public and private sectors. A report published last month by the Fraser of Allander Institute showed that only about one per cent of Scotland’s businesses had made advanced preparations to deal with the consequences of leaving the EU. So proper scrutiny is absolutely essential if we’re to effectively stand up for Scotland’s interests and to help civil society and businesses prepare for the future, even when some of us hope to pursue a different path.

For example, on a recent trip to the United States, the new secretary of state for international trade, and disgraced former defence secretary, Liam Fox floated the possibility of the UK withdrawing from the European Customs Union. This knee-jerk move would be a deeply damaging step for Scottish businesses, and would certainly add to costs while inhibiting their ability to trade effectively on an international scale.

The fact that this extreme idea could even be publicly touted by a senior member of Theresa May’s government adds credibility to already existing and very real concerns about the continuing development of a hard, right-wing agenda within the new Tory government that would be a disaster for Scottish interests.

On the same trip the new secretary of state was also slapped down by both the Canadians and Americans for his overly optimistic view that the UK could have a range of new international trade agreements in place ready to be signed immediately after the official date for Brexit, now timetabled for early 2019.

What’s clear from the reaction of our partners abroad is that many of these negotiations will have to wait until the UK officially leaves the EU, adding years of uncertainty to an already turbulent business environment.

While the timetable for future trade deals is at best unclear, what is now also of material concern is what the content of such deals might be. Over the past couple of years there has been an active public debate about the nature of EU-led trade proposals such as TTIP and CETA, which contain a range of measures and clauses that could be harmful to Scotland’s interests.

While the SNP has been strong in our opposition to the potentially adverse impact of these agreements on our public services, in particular the NHS, and about the introduction of what’s known as the “Investor State Dispute Settlement”, which could circumvent our current legal processes, the new Tory administration in London clearly don’t share these concerns.

Boris Johnson, who is now the face of the UK abroad, stated ominously in 2014 that “there is absolutely nothing not to like about the TTIP”.

If TTIP and CETA as they currently stand have been shaped by an EU-wide consensus, which in theory at least should have improved the proposals by advancing the progressive principles of the European alliance, imagine what havoc an unfettered, right-wing Tory government could propose in future? If the argument is that TTIP and CETA gave too much power to big business, who really thinks that trade deals negotiated by Liam Fox, Boris Johnson and David Davis would be models of progressive enlightenment?

The principle of leaving the EU is absolutely contrary to Scotland’s interests. If the devil really is in the detail, we’ll now have to keep a watchful eye out over the weeks and months ahead while the UK’s trading future is taking shape.

As we do this, our Plan A remains to do everything possible to protect our nation’s future by retaining our EU membership. Anything else would be second-best for Scotland.