The price to Scotland of a Brexit it didn’t vote for is the equivalent of nearly 8,000 public sector jobs in health, education and policing, according to research by the SNP.
The publicly stated costs of preparing for Brexit currently stands at £4.2 billion – of which Scotland’s share by population would be over £344 million. This would be enough to train the equivalent of nearly 3,500 teachers, 2,400 nurses, and over 1,800 police officers.
The SNP recently called on the UK Treasury to foot the bill for Police Scotland’s Brexit policing costs, which officials have warned could rise to a staggering £18 million, with 400 Scottish officers preparing to be deployed on Brexit duty.
The effects of a Tory-run Brexit sees Westminster short-changing Scotland in terms of making money available for a Brexit Scotland did not vote for – whilst refusing to address concerns of the Scottish Government.
Emma Harper MSP said:
“Scotland didn’t vote to leave the European Union and definitely didn’t vote for a Tory no-deal Brexit, but we are having to pay for the Brexit chaos that they’ve created. That is money that would be the equivalent of nearly 8,000 important public sector jobs in Scotland.
“The same Tories at Westminster are happy to waste billions on a Brexit Scotland didn’t vote for, a ferry company with no ships, or a bung for the DUP.
“Instead of funding and investing in our public services with this money, the Scottish Government is being forced to mitigate for cuts, wasted funds and unprecedented damage to our economy caused by the Tories, and Labour’s sorry lack of opposition.
“The economic cost of Brexit will be disastrous. Scotland should not have to pay for an irresponsible Tory government which seems intent on inflicting economic and social harm on us all, putting thousands of jobs at risk, and ending free movement.
“Westminster’s shambolic handling of this Brexit bourach, and the unnecessary cost to Scotland, means that the case for having full control over our affairs is getting stronger by the day.”