SCOTLAND’S FIRST MINISTER Nicola Sturgeon has said Scotland should have its own “backstop” deal after Brexit.
The “backstop” agreement between the UK and the EU is designed to avoid checks and physical infrastructure between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
If Britain and the EU fail to agree a trade deal then Northern Ireland would remain within the EU economic market.
Speaking to Sky News, the first minister said that such a deal could put Scotland at a disadvantage.
“You end up in a position where not only is Scotland being taken out of the single market but we’ve got Northern Ireland still in the single market.”
The implications for us in terms of attracting business and investment, for our economy, become really profound.
Asked should a version of the backstop deal apply to Scotland, Sturgeon said: “That would be my position.”
The first minister said she wasn’t going to “stand in the way” of solutions to Northern Ireland’s complicated Brexit issues.
But in terms of single market investment, Sturgeon warned that “Glasgow and Belfast might find [themselves] in competition”.
If we’re looking down the road to a situation where Belfast is still in the single market and Glasgow is not then any responsible First Minister of Scotland is going to say ‘That’s a big worry for us.’
EU leaders are set to meet next week for a key summit to discuss a possible Brexit deal.
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