THE First Minister has dismissed Theresa May’s Brexit strategy as an “act of wilful economic vandalism” as she appealed for her to “face up to reality” and change course for the sake of jobs and living standards.
Nicola Sturgeon delivered her assessment in a speech to the Europa Institute in Edinburgh last night stating the Conservatives’ role in the crisis was “unforgiveable”.

The Prime Minister is under pressure following the rejection of her Chequers proposals by EU leaders in Salzburg last month, weakening her leadership. Eurosceptics such as Boris Johnson have stepped up their attacks, calling on her to embrace the looser arrangement of Canada style free trade deal with the EU.

But civil servants’ analysis has suggested such a model would lead to each person in the UK being £1610 a year worse off. 

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“The Prime Minister’s current position – that we must leave the single market regardless of the consequences – is an act of wilful economic vandalism. She is ploughing on with a strategy that she knows will reduce household incomes and cost people their jobs,” said Sturgeon. 
“It is time, at this critical hour, for the Prime Minister to finally face up to reality. The truth is she has lost control of her party and is facing mutiny in Birmingham.

“With so little time left to conclude a Brexit deal, and with so many jobs and livelihoods at stake, this arrogant self-indulgence by the Conservative Party is unforgivable.”

The First Minister repeated her call for an extension to the Article 50 Brexit negotiating period, to help avoid what she has described as the “false choice” between a no-deal outcome and a so-called “blind Brexit” being put forward by the UK Government.

“If I had to pick out a glimmer of hope from the fiascos of the last few weeks it would be this – the very fact that the Prime Minister’s negotiating position has been exposed as untenable, means that membership of the single market and the customs union must now be a stronger political possibility than at any time in the last two years,” she said.

The First Minister continued: “The Prime Minister still, after Salzburg, maintained that Chequers is “the only serious and credible option on the table”. However it is not a serious and credible option. And the only reason it is the only option on the table is because her Government has refused to countenance any others. It is now their duty to do so.” 

Sturgeon was speaking at an event to mark the Europa Institute’s 50th anniversary as the Conservative Party conference ended its second day in Birmingham. In her speech Ruth Davidson ruled out a run at Downing Street, saying she wanted only one job – to be First Minister of Scotland. She called on members to unite behind May and made clear her opposition to a second referendum.

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Scottish Secretary David Mundell will today address the conference, saying Scotland is trapped in a “constitutional Groundhog Day” as he too opposes a new independence referendum. He is to say: “Everyday Scotland is stuck in a constitutional Groundhog Day is a day that our economy is being held back... it is time to end the constitutional uncertainty that we have lived with for the past four years.”

SNP Depute Leader Keith Brown responded: “The Tories are like a broken record – they can’t go five minutes without shouting about independence while demanding nobody else speak about independence... it’s not up to David Mundell, Ruth Davidson or any other Tory politician to dictate Scotland’s future. 

“It’s up to the people of Scotland. If David Mundell was at all interested in avoiding the risks of a hard Brexit he’d be getting behind our efforts to protect our place in the single market.”