Nicola Sturgeon's Brexit meeting snubbed by Scotland's top industry leaders
NICOLA Sturgeon’s flagship Brexit meeting was snubbed by the majority of Scotland’s industry leaders.
More than 600 invitations were sent out to businesses, voluntary sector, local authorities, educational bodies, trade unions, government quangos and other organisations for the National Economic Forum in Edinburgh to discuss the impact of the referendum result on the nation’s businesses.
But fewer than 115 sent delegates to the meeting during which she urged businesses to support an all-Scotland coalition to protect the country’s place in the European Single Market.
The attendance levels were exposed by the Scottish Labour Party through a freedom of information request with the figures showing that around 113 organisations took part in the annual meeting of the some 650 that were invited.
Corporations like Vodafone, Royal Mail, Edrington Group, Diageo, easyJet and even Ineos, which has received millions of pounds of grant money from the Scottish Government, failed to take part while VisitScotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports, Royal Bank of Scotland, BP and Shell were also no shows.
Even government bodies such as Audit Scotland, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the arm’s length company Scottish Futures Trust had no representation at the Edinburgh gathering towards the end of October while Michael Russell MSP, Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’ Place in Europe excused himself from on the scheduled discussions.
Opening the Forum in the capital’s Corn Exchange, the First Minister said the UK was entering an “unchartered territory” with its separation from the EU and called for all interested parties to work together.
She added: “I think there is a real opportunity to present the UK Government a unified Scottish position: and all-Scotland coalition of support for the Single Market.
There is a real opportunity to present the UK Government a unified Scottish position
“An all-Scotland coalition – of politicians, business, universities and a whole range of others – to resist a hard Brexit.”
However, the Scottish Labour Party said that while it was right for the Scottish Government to engage with the business community following the Brexit vote, it was clear the First Minister's threats for another independence referendum were damaging the relationship.
Economy spokeswoman Jackie Baillie added: "The Tories' reckless gamble has put economic growth in Scotland and the UK at risk, so businesses have understandable concerns.
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"But what would put our economy at even greater risk is a second Scottish independence referendum. Even just the uncertainty that Nicola Sturgeon is causing is alarming the nation's businesses, so it is perhaps no surprise that so many chose to stay away from this event.
"Leaving the UK would cost jobs and mean £15 billion of cuts to public services like schools and the NHS over and above those already being forced on us by the Tories.
“It’s time for the SNP to accept that remaining in the UK is far more important to Scotland's economy than being part of the European Union."