Sturgeon holds UK to ransom: Keep Scotland in Single Market or I'll rip Britain apart
NICOLA STURGEON today insisted Scottish independence "must remain on the table" as she set out her demand for Scotland to remain in the EU's Single Market despite the Brexit vote.
Sturgeon admits Independence "not off table" in Brexit plans
The First Minister, speaking in Bute House in Edinburgh, presented the Scottish Government's proposed response to the EU referendum result on June 23.
In a paper title "Scotland's Place in Europe" the SNP administration has called for the UK to stay in the Single Market and avoid a clean departure from the EU - a so-called 'hard Brexit'.
Ms Sturgeon blasted the UK Government for being "intent on cutting immigration as a higher priority than Single Market access" ahead of Brexit negotiations with Brussels.
The UK Government has consistently promised to end free movement rules after Brexit rules, which Brussels has insisted is incompatible with Single Market membership.
The First Minister admitted she "does not underestimate the challenges" of seeking a different Brexit deal for Scotland than the rest of the UK, but insisted "everything about Brexit is difficult and unprecedented".
The SNP leader hailed her Brexit proposals as a "detailed, serious and reasonable" plan and a "compromise" for Scotland.
Theresa May must enter Brexit negotiations with a "clear" plan she wants to stay in the Single Market, Ms Stugeon said. If not, the Prime Minister must put forward a "differentiated solution for Scotland" to EU leaders, the First Minister demanded.
Ms Sturgeon said she was acting to "protect the voice and interests of Scotland" as she also demanded a range of new powers for her Scottish Government as a result of Brexit.
These should include immigration powers, with Scotland continuing free movement rules, she added.
The First Minister insisted there is a "groundswell of support" for devolving immigration controls across different parts of the EU, as she highlighted London mayor Sadiq Khan's own suggestion the UK capital could have its own immigration policy once outside the EU.
But Ms Sturgeon denied Scotland having a different immigration policy would see the establishment of a "hard" border between her country and England, as she noted the UK Government's commitment to continuing the common travel area between Northern and Southern Ireland after Brexit.
She also insisted her plan would not hamper free trade within the UK's own internal market.
Being part of the European Single Market is vital for Scotland's future economic wellbeing
The First Minister insisted immigration checks could instead be carried out at the point of employment or the point of housing for incoming migrants.
Under her proposals, Ms Sturgeon said Scotland would follow the UK Government's choice on whether to stay in or leave the EU Customs Union.
She suggested staying in the Customs Union is "not the direction UK will head in".
Despite her insistence Scottish independence must remain an option, Ms Sturgeon did not expand on "the hypothetical situation where UK Government accepts or rejects" her plan.
But she noted how the Scottish Government is "consulting at the moment on a draft independence bill".
Ms Sturgeon claimed the Brexit vote had "beyond any doubt" raised "fundamental questions" about how political power is devolved across the UK.
She said the Brexit process would "tell us much, perhaps everything" about whether the UK is a "partnership of equals" the UK Government claims it to be.
Looking forward to publishing 'Scotland's Place in Europe' - the first plan anywhere in UK for dealing with Brexit. pic.twitter.com/5GZ6jAeUQV
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 20, 2016
In a phone call on Monday, the Prime Minister told Ms Sturgeon she will look "very seriously" at the proposals aimed at keeping Scotland in the Single Market.
The First Minister expressed her hope Mrs May would hold her commitment to "fully and fairly consider the proposals" she had put forward today and present the same "openness and flexibility" the Scottish Government has over Brexit.
But Ms Sturgeon attacked Mrs May's current approach to leaving the EU, claiming "you get hit with Brexit means Brexit" whenever anyone tries to discuss the subject.
She said the UK Govermment's reluctance to spell out their Brexit plans is "less to do with keeping cards close to their chest and more to do with not knowing what those cards are".
The First Minister revealed she had already held discussions with European Free Trade Area (EFTA) officials and invidual EFTA countries over her plan.
In the Scottish Government's document, it describes the "best option" for Scotland as being an independent member of the EU.
On June 23, over 60 per cent of Scots voted to Remain in the EU.
The document adds: "The current situation is not of our making – it has been caused by the original flawed decision to hold the EU referendum and the subsequent majority for Leave in England and Wales.
"However, in line with our commitments, we have explored all options to find out whether Scotland’s national interest and relationship with Europe can be protected within the UK, and to mobilise opinion to this cause."
In a foreword to the document, Ms Sturgeon wrote: "One option – in my view, the best option – is to become a full member of the EU as an independent country.
"Indeed, independence would resolve the fundamental cause of the position Scotland currently finds itself in: Westminster Governments that Scotland doesn’t vote for, imposing policies that a majority in Scotland does not support."
A Downing Street spokesman said the Government welcomed the Scottish paper and would "look closely" at it.
It is expected to be discussed in detail when the UK Government and devolved administrations meet at the Joint Ministerial Committee in January.
But the spokesman made clear Mrs May is determined to deliver a UK-wide Brexit and did not believe there should be a second referendum on Scottish independence.
He said: "The Government is committed to getting a deal on exiting the EU that works for all parts of the UK - which clearly includes Scotland - and works for the UK as a whole.
"The best way for that to be achieved is for the Government and devolved administrations to work together."
Responding to Ms Sturgeon's speech, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson accused Ms Sturgeon of “manoeuvring” towards independence through her “evidence-free” Brexit demands.
She said: “Nicola Sturgeon talks about compromise, but written in black and white in her own report is her true intention – she wants independence in Europe.
“She has been using the Brexit issue to get to that point all along and the people of Scotland can see her manoeuvring for what it is.
“If she truly wants the best Brexit deal, she should be pulling together with other parts of the UK, not trying to split the country up.
Ms Davidson claimed it was "perhaps no surprise that today’s paper hasn’t been written by the experts, but by the SNP government itself".
She said: “As with its own independence white paper, the SNP is simply putting forward evidence-free assertions.”
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale called on the First Minister to rule out a second independence referendum and reminded the Scittsh Government the "most important" market for the country is the UK's internal market.
Tory MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan, a supporter of the Change Britain campaign, said:"The referendum was a UK-wide vote. As one UK, we voted to leave the EU. As one UK, we will leave.
"Politicians should be straight with the public that membership of the Single Market means giving the EU control of our borders, laws, money and trade.
"They should respect the public’s decision to take back control from Brussels, stop trying to undermine the result and get on with the job of delivering Brexit."
Ukip's Scotland leader David Coburn also hit out at Ms Sturgeon's "catastrophic" and "unrealistic" plans.
He said: "Having lost the independence referendum, the SNP are now intent on independence by accident through continuous demands for more powers to be transferred from Westminster to Holyrood.
"Sturgeon is determined to keep excessive EU regulation while the rest of the UK throws off the burden of bureaucracy and deregulates. This is neither in the interest of the Scottish people nor businesses.
"It does however serve the SNP agenda as a divergence of regulation in Scotland from the UK would mean that extensive powers would have to be devolved to Holyrood".