Grahame wants European apology from Boris

Friday July 24th 2020

European Flag


Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Luke Jackson

Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency, has called on Boris Johnson to apologise during his visit to Scotland, citing a new report that people in Midlothian have already been left £775.84 worse off as a result of Brexit.

The new analysis Ms Grahame said, published from experts at Warwick University, found that nationally Scotland is now £3.9 billion worse off thanks to Brexit and has already lost £775.84 per head of population.

Ms Grahame went on to say:

“This new analysis makes clear that any form of Brexit will inflict major harm on Scotland’s economy – with people in Midlothian having already been left £775.84 worse off thanks to Boris Johnson.

“These Tory Brexiteers at Westminster want to drag Scotland out of the EU against our will. In the middle of a global pandemic that’s the last thing our economy needs.

“The people of Midlothian didn’t vote for this Tory government and they certainly didn’t vote for Brexit – but Boris Johnson simply doesn’t care.

“With Westminster hellbent on taking a wrecking ball to our economy, it’s clearer than ever that the only way to protect Scotland’s interests and our place in Europe is to become an independent country.”

However, Conservative MSP Michelle Ballantyne, who is also the party’s candidate for Ms Grahame’s Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency in the 2021 Scottish Parliament Election, told Midlothian View:

“Ms Grahame is misusing a report that simply talks up circumstances which ultimately did not happen following the UK wide vote to leave the European Union in 2016.

“The fact that the vote was a UK wide one is something the Nationalists have never acknowledged, and Ms Grahame should remember that more people in Scotland voted for Brexit than voted for the SNP so perhaps she should start respecting democracy.

“Even as we continue to deal with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenge of getting our economy across Midlothian back up and running, Ms Grahame and her colleagues are once again trying to manufacture constitutional grievances to take the focus off the Scottish Government’s woeful performance on education, health, ferries, policing and the devolution of social security to name but a few.

“Midlothian residents and businesses deserve better and need the SNP Government focused on protecting jobs, supporting vital public services and keeping our communities safe, rather than constantly trying to create division and hatred in our communities.”

You can read the report: HERE. Measuring the Regional Economic Cost of Brexit: Evidence up to 2019 (July 2020).

Tweet Share on Facebook  
 

Subscribe to the Midlothian View newsletter




Support Midlothian View from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Thank you.

Comments are closed.

 

Midlothian View Advertising