Theresa May’s plans to outline a hard Brexit have led to warnings of a possible second referendum on Scottish independence.
The Prime Minister will today give detail on her negotiating strategy ahead of the triggering of Article 50 – the two-year process of leaving the EU.
It has been reported that she intends to use the speech to signal her intention to take the UK out of the single market.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has made single-market access a red line during negotiations – and suggested a rejection of membership of it could lead to another plebiscite on separation.
Following Ms May’s speech, Holyrood will debate a motion entitled “protecting Scotland’s interests in negotiating our future relationship with Europe”.
Scottish ministers published plans at the end of last year outlining proposals to protect Scotland’s place in Europe, including an option for the country to remain in the European single market even if the rest of the UK leaves it.
Ms Sturgeon said yesterday: “The current crop of Westminster Tories now seem to think they can do whatever they want to Scotland and people here will just sit back and accept it – they may be about to find out just how wrong they are about that.”
Meanwhile Scotland’s Brexit Minister Michael Russell said the “threat” of a hard Brexit “is getting bigger by the day”.
He added: “All the signals are that the hard-line right-wing Tory Brexiteers are dictating the direction of travel to the Prime Minister.
“But the SNP Government has put forward a compromise plan to keep Scotland in the Single Market even if the rest of the UK leaves – and we expect Theresa May to live up to her promise and give those proposals proper consideration.
“The prime minister and her party must now match their rhetoric that the UK is a partnership of equals, and not ride roughshod over the clearly expressed views of the people of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament.”
The Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats all want Ms Sturgeon to rule-out holding a second vote on independence – but so far she has only done so for this year.
Last night, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “If the first minister is serious about getting the best deal for Scotland there is only one thing that she should do – take the threat of a second independence referendum off the table entirely.
“This would be in the national interest, and would put the opinion of a majority of Scots ahead of her own supporters.”
UK and Scottish ministers are due to meet on Thursday at the Joint Ministerial Committee for further Brexit talks.
