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Highlands and Islands MSP Maree Todd argues Prime Minister Boris Johnson owes all Scots an apology after new analysis by Warwick University team found that Brexit had cost Scotland's economy £3.9bn – or £736 per head of population


By Philip Murray

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Maree Todd MSP.
Maree Todd MSP.

THE Prime Minister owes all Scots an apology after a new report said Brexit had left the country £3.9 billion worse off, a Highland MSP has argued.

Maree Todd made the call after Boris Johnson jetted into northern Scotland today for visits to Orkney and a military base.

The visit came amid reports that recent polls showing a rise in support for independence had "spooked" No 10 into the trip.

Ms Todd, an SNP MSP, said Mr Johnson should use his visit to apologise for the financial cost of Brexit on Scotland – a nation which had voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU.

She said that a new analysis by a team at Warwick University, found that nationally Scotland was already £3.9bn worse off because of the economic impact of Brexit – equivalent to £736 for every person living in the country.

She added that a separate Scottish Government analysis had claimed that ending the transition period in 2020 could cut £3 billion from the Scottish economy in just two years, on top of the impact of coronavirus.

Commenting, Ms Todd, a Highlands and Islands list MSP, based in Ross-shire, said: “This new analysis makes clear that any form of Brexit will inflict major harm on Scotland’s economy – with people already been left 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 the Highlands 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."

Ahead of his visit, Mr Johnson argued that the UK's experience of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic had illustrated the “sheer might” of the union and claimed that Scotland was better off as part of the UK than on its own.

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