IN recent days and weeks we’ve not been short on public announcements from the UK government and its ministers about Brexit. We’ve all now been subjected to a slew of Parliamentary statements, party conference speeches and recently uncovered newspaper columns from Boris Johnson, Liam Fox, David Davis and others, all of which have a common theme.
Unfortunately for us, that theme is obfuscation.
It remains the case that we’re still no further forward in finding out the Tory government’s views on the next steps towards leaving the EU.
These days, almost as soon as each of the three Brexiteers opens their mouth to speak, the Downing Street press office is poised to spring into action to contradict them, shut the story down and set out the Government’s actual position that “Brexit means Brexit”.
Whatever it is that means.
The principle is clear. How can we trust the UK Government when they don’t even trust each other?
It emerged this weekend that Boris Johnson has written in favour of the UK remaining in the single market, and we already know that he favours a points-based immigration system for a post-Brexit Britain.
The view from the Prime Minister’s office has not been supportive.
“A points-based system will not work and is not an option” said the PM’s spokeswoman.
Liam Fox visited the US over the summer on his first official trip as Secretary of State for International Trade, and clearly stated that his government would look to establish a free-trade agreement with the EU rather than joining the customs union.
This was shot down in flames by No 10, when the outcry from exporters was so strong, that they were forced to announce that in fact no decision had yet been made by the Government on this issue.
David Davis, the new Secretary of State for Brexit, has also been at odds with his new boss.
Last month he came to Parliament and said that “the simple truth is that if a requirement of [EU] membership is giving up control of our borders, I think that makes it very improbable”.
It took only hours for Downing Street to respond. This view was a personal opinion, not government policy. Because their only policy remains: Brexit means Brexit.
At the SNP Conference in Glasgow this weekend I spoke with many of the growing number of foreign representatives who are taking a renewed interest in Scotland’s future following June’s result. Not only are they seriously re-examining the options open to Scotland and what those would mean for their own country’s relationships, but that the UK Government’s current opaque position is subject to growing ridicule from abroad.
Becoming an international laughing stock is surely not the best foundation to enter into negotiations for our future relationship with the rest of the world.
This situation stands in sharp contrast with the clear and credible plans of the Scottish Government, as announced at the conference. As the First Minister prepares to set out her detailed proposals for Scotland’s future relationship with the EU, she has already provided certainty around our engagement with EU partners on trade, and a concrete plan to extend Scotland’s influence, while continuing to grow our exports and attract foreign investment.
The four-point plan to boost trade that was announced on Saturday will reassure business in Scotland and cement our message that we remain open for business with the world.
The vacuum at the heart of the UK Government’s policy platform presents an opportunity for Scotland to further advance our case.
The more UK Government ministers speak, the less we know about Brexit and this Government’s plans for our future relationships with our European allies and trading partners. Rather than simply adding to their word count, if they had Scotland’s best interests at heart they would now start delivering on the promises they have made.
The Tory manifesto at the last General Election was clear. They were elected on a prospectus to retain our membership of the single market. And we all remember the promises that were made in 2014, that only a vote to stay in the UK would protect Scotland’s EU membership. They must now keep their word.
The SNP will keep up its end of the bargain, and act on the mandate we received from the voters in May’s Holyrood election. Our manifesto was also clear. It stated that if Scotland finds itself being taken out of the EU against its will, voters here should be given the chance to choose a different path for themselves.
It’s now up to politicians on both sides of this debate to deliver on their promises.
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