Nicola Sturgeon will publish her plans today to keep Scotland in the single market post-Brexit.
The first minister has claimed the country’s economic future was being put at risk by “the right-wing Brexiteers in the Tory party”.
A majority of Scots voted to Remain in the EU in the referendum on June 23 – but a majority of those in England and Wales voted to Leave.
In the wake of the vote, Ms Sturgeon suggested a second independence referendum was “highly likely”.
One of her key demands is that Scotland continues to enjoy access to the single market, which allows tariff free trade, but also free movement of people.
Some in the UK Government, which hopes to start the process for leaving the EU in the spring, have voiced concerns about retaining access to the single market, amid concerns about the level of immigration.
Prime Minister Theresa May previously indicated she was prepared to look “very seriously” at the Scottish Government’s proposals.
Speaking ahead of the publication of the ‘Scotland’s Place in Europe’ document, Ms Sturgeon said: “Being part of the European single market is vital for Scotland’s future economic wellbeing.
“Losing our place in the single market would be potentially devastating to our long-term prosperity, to jobs, investment and people’s livelihoods.
“It would end our current status as part of the world’s biggest free trade area, a market around eight times bigger than the UK’s alone, and would have a profound and long-lasting impact on our national economic standing and our standards of living.”
The first minister pointed to analysis by her government which suggested a ‘hard’ Brexit – where the UK lost access to the single market – could cost up to £11billion a year by 2030.
The same analysis said the lowest estimate of economic damage was £1.7billion.
Ms Sturgeon added: “But it is not just the loss of existing jobs and investment that would be at stake.
“In addition, there is the prospect of lost investment and employment – money and jobs which our place in the single market would ensure, but which would otherwise never materialise.
“That is why the paper we publish today is centred on retaining our place in the single market – and why it is so important Scotland avoids the hard Brexit threatened by the right-wing Brexiteers in the Tory party.
“Our proposals deserve full and proper consideration, as the prime minister has already pledged, and I look forward to discussing them in the weeks ahead.”
