THE SNP have denied they are supporting a No-Deal Brexit by voting against the trade deal Boris Johnson struck with the European Union.
Ian Blackford, the party's Westminster leader, said the SNP's alternative was for Scotland to rejoin the EU as an independent member state.
The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber yesterday confirmed that SNP MPs would reject the UK Government's deal when it goes to a vote in the Commons on Wednesday.
But the move has led to accusations that the party is effectively backing exiting the current single market transition period without an agreement on Friday.
The claim was put to him in an interview on Times Radio this morning.
Blackford responded: "We are certainly not supporting No Deal. No Deal is something that would be a disaster for all of us ... The best deal that we've got is the one we currently have where we're still in the single market and customs union. All the economic evidence, including from the UK Government, is that we are all going to be poorer with this deal."
He added that while people in England and Wales were getting what they voted for – to leave the EU – and that Northern Ireland was getting a special deal with greater access to the European single market and customs union, remain-voting Scotland was "getting nothing".
READ MORE: SNP MPs to vote against Boris Johnson’s ‘disaster' Brexit deal in Commons
He continued: "The alternative for us is to make sure we have an independence referendum on the premise of an independent Scotland joining the European Union, keeping our access to the single market and customs union and giving us the continuation of the free movement of people, access to the Erasmus scheme and so on. So it's about what the alternative is for Scotland. It's not about No Deal."
Leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford MP: "we're voting against the deal that the prime minister is putting in front of us, we're certainly not supporting no deal."
— Times Radio (@TimesRadio) December 28, 2020
Listen live 🔊 https://t.co/50SQDjxXjD@GloriaDePiero | @tnewtondunn | @Ianblackford_MP pic.twitter.com/YYv5Mp8Nqt
Scottish Government analysis estimates a Brexit of the type negotiated by Johnson out of the European single market could cut Scotland's GDP by around 6.1% – costing Scotland more than £9 billion, or the equivalent of £1600 per person by 2030.
Blackford supports an independence referendum being held next year, telling the Sunday National last month that the "referendum will take place and we need to plan that that referendum must take place in 2021”.
The majority of MPs across all the parties are expected to dial in remotely to the historic debate on the trade agreement, after the Commons Speaker urged them to stay at home because of the current strict coronavirus restrictions and made clear that those attending in person would not be given priority to speak.
READ MORE: Indyref2 will be held next year, says Ian Blackford
In a letter to all MPs on Christmas Eve, Sir Lindsay Hoyle wrote: “I would strongly urge you not to physically come to Westminster to participate in any business unless absolutely necessary due to the current severe public health situation. My priority is to protect the whole of the parliamentary community whilst ensuring the government can legislate and opposition parties and backbenchers can scrutinise.
"The best way we can keep the business of the House going and everyone as safe as possible is for the vast majority of people to participate and work from home. We have the technology to enable virtual participation in the chamber.”
Those expected to attend in person include ministers leading the debate for the government.
The legislation needed to implement the deal is likely to pass comfortably. Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said last week that the party would back the agreement in what he described as a “tough but necessary decision” between this deal or no deal.
However, a rebellion is expected in the party and some shadow ministers are expected to quit.
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