Nicola Sturgeon has said a “different future” for Scotland is now more likely after Theresa May confirmed the UK will leave the European single market.
In a speech at Lancaster House earlier today, the Prime Minister revealed her plan to lead the UK out of the European Union and to effectively disregard proposals for Scotland to be allowed to remain in the single market.
Mrs May’s comments were met with criticism from the First Minister as she called for “serious engagement” on the Scottish Government’s plans.
“It seems the Westminster Tory Government now think they can do anything to Scotland and get away with it,” she said. “They must start to understand how wrong they are.”
“The UK Government cannot be allowed to take us out of the EU and the single market, regardless of the impact on our economy, jobs, living standards and our reputation as an open, tolerant country, without Scotland having the ability to choose between that and a different future.
“With her comments today, the Prime Minister has only succeeded in making that choice more likely.”
However, Mrs May concluded her speech by calling for the United Kingdom to come together as the country moves forward with plans to leave the EU.
She said: “One of the reasons that Britain’s democracy has been such a success for so many years is that the strength of our identity as one nation, the respect we show to one another as fellow citizens, and the importance we attach to our institutions means that when a vote has been held we all respect the result.
“The victors have the responsibility to act magnanimously. The losers have the responsibility to respect the legitimacy of the result. And the country comes together.
“And that is what we are seeing today. The overwhelming majority of people – however they voted – say we need to get on and make Brexit happen. Business isn’t calling to reverse the result, but planning to make a success of it. And the House of Commons has voted overwhelmingly for us to get on with it too.
“So the country is coming together. Now we need to put an end to the division and the language associated with it – Leaver and Remainer and all the accompanying insults – and unite to make a success of Brexit and build a truly Global Britain.”