MUNDELL UNDER PRESSURE TO RULE OUT ROLE IN NO DEAL.
The SNP has challenged David Mundell to categorically rule out serving in a no-deal Cabinet under the next Tory Prime Minister, following his very own warning that crashing out of the EU without a deal would “damage our economy.”
The comments follow pledges by both Tory candidates that they would pursue a policy that would push Scotland and the UK off the cliff-edge with a no-deal Brexit, with Boris Johnson stating the UK will leave the EU in October “Do or die. Come what may.”
The Scottish Secretary of State has previously come under fire following an interview last month with ITV Border where he tried to claim that he had “never said” he wouldn’t serve in a Johnson Cabinet. The comments contradicted earlier remarks where he stated that “Mr Johnson and I don’t agree on a whole range of issues and I don’t see myself being able to serve in that way”, adding that “Mr Johnson seems to behave in a way that suggests he’s only focused on his own self-interest and not in the interests of our country.”
Commenting, Tommy Sheppard MP said:
“David Mundell is well aware that a no-deal exit from the EU will be a disaster for Scotland and in his own words it will ‘damage our economy.’ His previous threats to resign have all proven to be nothing more than hollow words – but he must now go beyond a simple newspaper column and categorically rule out serving in a no-deal Tory Cabinet.
“With both Tory candidates ramping up talk of a no-deal Brexit, the Secretary of State for Scotland for once must take a principled stand and make clear that he would not serve in a Tory government that would inflict that policy upon Scotland, which we know will cost up to 100,000 jobs across Scotland and hit people’s living standards – including in David Mundell’s own constituency.
“Beyond the hollow rhetoric of both Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson about preserving the union, it’s clear that they would both ignore Scotland’s people and its democratic vote – as has been the case for the past three years – so that they can push ahead with their catastrophic Brexit plans. It’s little wonder then that support for independence in Scotland is growing, with polls showing a majority want a fresh independence referendum.
“People in Scotland deserve the choice of a better future than the Brexit Britain on offer from Westminster.
“Any pretence that Scotland will ever be treated as an equal partner in the UK has long gone. It is clearer than ever that the only way to properly protect Scotland’s interests is by taking our place as an equal, independent European nation.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jul/06/top-tory-warns-johnson-no-deal-brexit-would-be-gift-to-snp
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