CONSTITUTION Secretary Michael Russell tore into a Tory MSP who accused the SNP of hindering Brexit trade agreements this afternoon.
Russell gave an update on Brexit preparedness with the Brexit transition period set to end on December 31 – just 23 days from now.
No trade deal with the EU has been agreed and negotiations continue. Russell explained how the Scottish Government is readying for a possible No-Deal outcoming by stockpiling supplies.
This afternoon the UK and EU reached an agreement on how rules in the divorce deal will work regarding Northern Ireland.
The UK Government said that an agreement in principle was found for issues over border control and medicine supplies.
READ MORE: No-Deal Brexit: Scotland sets up medicine shortage alert system
Despite this the threat of a damaging mid-pandemic No-Deal exist continues to loom large.
Lockhart, the Scottish Tory shadow Brexit secretary, told the Chamber he remains hopeful that a deal will be agreed in the coming days.
He said Scottish Parliament committees have heard “large parts” of the economy are well prepared for Brexit, claiming the farming sector is “looking forwards” to shaping policy post-Brexit.
“All of this is despite, not because of, the efforts of the SNP,” the MSP claimed.
“Because the SNP want to return to the common agricultural policy, return to the common fisheries policy and the SNP has failed to support every single trade deal in the past 15 years.”
READ MORE: Internal Market Bill: The Scottish Tories who voted to remove Lords' changes
He continued: “So let me ask the Cabinet Secretary, first is it indeed his policy to force fishing communities to return to the common fisheries policy, amended or otherwise, is it his policy to return Scottish farming to the common agricultural policy, reformed or otherwise, and third can he explain why the SNP has failed to support every single trade deal over the past 15 years. Is it because deep down the reality is that the SNP is an anti-trade policy – and is that the real –“
At this point the MSP was cut off by deputy presiding officer Christine Grahame, who let him know his time was up.
As he tried to continue speaking she told him: “No. I did ask. No, no, no – please. When I say stop, stop. Sit down. No! Sit down. You had your one minute 30 seconds.”
Russell was then able to respond, thanking the deputy presiding officer. “That was a merciful ending,” he joked.
He said Lockhart’s comments, coming just 23 days before the UK leaves the EU, should “astonish” everybody in the Chamber.
“However we leave will be damaging and harmful, when the farming sector for example in my constituency – and I am a constituency member – is looking at for example the sheep trade and the land trade and facing ruin – that is the response of the Conservative party, it is utterly shameful.”
He denied that his party is anti-trade, stressing they are “pro-Scotland”.
“And if we had a Conservative Party that was doing that, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
Efforts to secure a UK/EU trade agreement have stalled due to rows over fishing rights and business competition rules.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had previously promised an oven-ready deal, has called the situation “very tricky” and is due to travel to Brussels this week with the aim of breaking the deadlock.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that without a deal the UK’s Covid-19 economic recovery risks being derailed.
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