Now Reading: Return to Single Market is Critical
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Return to Single Market is Critical
EU a Safe Haven in Uncertain Times
The SNP has agreed with Ursula von der Leyen’s description of the EU as a safe haven in uncertain times, and has challenged Keir Starmer to stop damaging the UK and Scottish economy with his hard Brexit policies and, instead, rejoin the single market.
The SNP say this would boost economic growth, strengthen public finances and fix the rotten foundations of Brexit Britain’s broken economy.
In an interview with Politico, the European Commission President said the global order is “shifting more deeply than at any time since the Cold War ended” and argued “in a more and more unpredictable global environment, countries are lining up to work with us” and are looking for “strong, reliable partners” in the wake of the Trump tariff crisis.
If Labour at Westminster can nationalise British Steel, why not the same for Grangemouth?
— The SNP (@theSNP) April 14, 2025
If it can fund London’s supercomputer, it can reinstate Edinburgh’s.
If it green-lights carbon capture in England, the north-east of Scotland must follow.
Scotland’s people deserve better. pic.twitter.com/21THbpd7OQ
Von der Leyen added that confidence in the EU is on the rise, pointing to a Eurobarometer survey showing support for membership in the bloc at 74%, its highest level in 40 years, and arguing “that says something. In the middle of the chaos, Europe stands firm, grounded in values, ready to shape what comes next”.
It comes after Scottish Labour Party leader Anas Sarwar, this week, echoed Keir Starmer in ruling out rejoining the EU single market and customs union.
This is despite the fact that Brexit is costing Scotland’s economy and public finances billions of pounds a year – meaning less money for the NHS and families. In an interview with Glasgow Southside’s Glad Radio, Mr Sarwar backed Brexit and said “we will not rejoin the Single Market or the Customs Union”.
At the UK Government’s spring budget, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) confirmed that Brexit is on track to reduce UK GDP by 4% and UK trade intensity by 15% – costing the UK economy and public finances billions of pounds a year. And the IMF has now reported that the UK’s growth forecast for 2025 has been cut down to 1.1% from the previous prediction of 1.6%.
Ursula von der Leyen is absolutely right to describe the EU as a safe haven in uncertain times – one that we should and would be at the heart of were it not for Westminster governments’ commitment to a damaging hard Brexit.
GRAEME
This has done and continues to do untold damage to the Scottish and UK economies, costing billions of pounds a year.
It is more important than ever that Scotland rejoin the EU, with Labour ruling out even any return to the Single Market or Customs Union.
In the face of the Trump tariff global trade war, it is deeply irresponsible to entrench this harmful position, at the expense of our prosperity and stability.
First Minister @JohnSwinney met representatives from the business community to hear their concerns about the impact of US tariffs and recent economic volatility.
— First Minister (@ScotGovFM) April 16, 2025
He said @ScotGov will continue to promote and protect Scottish businesses through this uncertain time. pic.twitter.com/eulYD9ItdL
Growth slashed, unemployment rising and the cost of living soaring – this is a far cry from the change voters were promised by the Labour Party before the election. It’s not good enough to blame global events when it is policies from the Labour Government – be it National Insurance rises or Brexit – that are hammering businesses and public services in the here and now. Â
DAVE DOOGAN, ANGUS MP & SNP ECONOMY SPOKESPERSON
The Labour Party keep telling us the world has changed, but for those words to mean anything then there must be a response to match the weight of the IMF warnings today – so far that’s been missing from Sir Keir Starmer with no meaningful move towards alignment with the EU and a dedication to fiscal rules unfit to shelter us from the global economic storm clouds that are fast gathering.Â
The EU is where most European nations seek both economic and national security, yet we find ourselves isolated in broken, Brexit Britain scraping around for a deal on minor changes to food standards while we are being whacked by Trump tariffs – the Labour Party needs to wake up to the reality that any economic deal with the United States will always pale in comparison to the benefits of the European Single Market.
The IMF has forecasted an economic storm headed directly for these islands and it’s time Westminster got its head out the sand, stopped playing to Farage’s tune and looked to our reliable allies in Europe for protection and economic growth.Â
Scotland cannot afford to be tied to broken, Brexit Britain and it’s becoming clearer by the day to Scots that a successful future lies in working with our European neighbours, not relying on Westminster governments that treat our country as an afterthought.
