Stuart McMillan: ...Scottish economy. That flies in the face of the recent report that names Scotland as the third-best large European region for foreign direct investment. That report highlighted in its findings that Brexit remains a clear threat to Scotland’s investment potential. Today, David Davis is apparently trying to reassure people with his comments that the UK will not be plunged into “a Mad...
Stuart McMillan: Splendid isolation. No—I am not referring to the Tory Brexit Britain that we will have in the very near future. I am referring to Inverclyde Council’s attitude to dealing with flood prevention and the flooding issues that we have had. For Mike Rumbles’s information, I say that the Lib Dems were in power in Inverclyde between 2003 and 2007 and did nothing to solve the flooding problems....
Stuart McMillan: Yes, it did. I will carry on. Mr Stewart, who has now taken his seat again, said earlier that there is certainty for EU migrants and that they know what will happen to them post Brexit, but I urge him to talk to his constituents in the region that he represents and to people from the Fife Migrants Forum. He should listen to their concerns and to every word that they have to say about them....
Stuart McMillan: 4. To ask the First Minister what assurances the Scottish Government has received regarding the transfer of powers to Scotland following Brexit. (S5F-01492)
Stuart McMillan: ...there have been no joint ministerial committee meetings since February, that there has been a lack of constructive activity from the UK Government in relation to Scotland and Wales and that the Brexit discussions that are being led by David Davis show a complete lack of vision on the UK Government’s part? Does she agree that the UK Government’s shambolic approach thus far is just a...
Stuart McMillan: ...here”. Hugh Aitken, the director of Confederation of British Industry Scotland, said: “Overall the First Minister’s focus on the economy will be welcomed by business. Amidst the challenges of Brexit, it is more important than ever to concentrate on building a competitive, pro-enterprise business environment that not only delivers more jobs and greater prosperity but is more resilient...
Stuart McMillan: In his statement, the cabinet secretary spoke about the volatility that has been brought about by Brexit.
Stuart McMillan: On that volatility, what measures will the Scottish Government take to support economic growth and help Scotland to weather the economic shocks caused by Brexit and failing Tory policies?
Stuart McMillan: The Brexit chaos, crisis and uncertainty were caused by the Tories’ EU referendum last year. One aspect of that is the 90 per cent reduction in the number of EU nurses registering to work in the UK. There is also the fact that, according to the British Medical Association, 42 per cent of doctors from EU countries are considering leaving the UK. Yesterday, we heard that London will...
Stuart McMillan: ...duration of this session”.—[ Official Report , 17 January 2017; c 32.] Therefore, in the debate thus far, we have heard about not having a referendum now and not having a referendum during the Brexit discussion process but, earlier this year, Mr Stewart stated that we should not have a referendum at all in this session. That speaks volumes about the Conservative Party’s position. The...
Stuart McMillan: I thank Alex Rowley for taking another intervention. He will have heard David Davis say last week that there are no costs thus far, because the UK Government has not done any analysis of how much a Brexit deal will cost, so how can we know how much it will cost and how can we get a better deal, or the best possible deal, for Scotland when the UK drags us out of the European Union?
Stuart McMillan: ...and everyone who has provided evidence. I believe that the committee’s reports will help many people to understand some of the issues that Scotland and the UK face as we venture headlong into the Brexit process. Article 50 has not yet been triggered, but we know that that could happen any day now. I echo the comments of some in asking the Prime Minister to at least respect 25 March,...
Stuart McMillan: ...absolutely correct that Scotland is a nation, but I ask him to please say that to his ministers down in London, because they do not know or respect Scotland. The people of Scotland did not vote for Brexit, and only one of the nation’s 59 MPs backed the UK Government by voting to trigger article 50. I do not want Scotland to lose an estimated 80,000 jobs within a decade or to cost people...
Stuart McMillan: ...recommendation of the committee was to explore EEA membership with the EU 27 before and after the triggering of article 50. Many comments have been made in recent months about the opportunity that Brexit provides, but I argue that Scotland and the UK should have the opportunity to have the differential position. Our committee recognised that there is no direct precedent for such a...
Stuart McMillan: The people of Scotland did not vote for Brexit, and last week only one of the nation’s 59 MPs backed the UK Government by voting to trigger article 50. The people of this country did not vote to put jobs at risk by making it harder for Scottish companies to buy and sell goods and services in the world’s largest trading bloc. The people did not vote to allow the UK Government to use Brexit...
Stuart McMillan: ...Conservatives have offered him any suggestions about keeping Scotland in the single market? Have they now abandoned that position in favour of their Westminster Tory bosses’ hard-right, hard-Brexit position, despite the obvious disastrous economic consequences?
Stuart McMillan: ...our economy and society and is incompatible with the kind of country that we are and want to be. The EU referendum raises difficult political and legal questions, not least about what the post-Brexit landscape might look like and what a leave vote might mean for Scotland’s position in the UK. The UK Government must ensure that Scotland is fully involved in all decision making with regard...
Stuart McMillan: ...is going on in society. If Mr Ross does not fully understand or appreciate that, he really needs to get off the football pitch a bit more and go into communities and talk to people. The issue of Brexit is vexing many people in Scotland. Mr Ross needs to listen to the electorate that put him in Parliament and in the council that he represents. As a nation, Scotland takes its place within...
Stuart McMillan: ...levels of APD to increase in price with longer-distance flights. Why the sudden change of heart? Have they suddenly come to their senses or is it another case of flip-flopping, as we have seen with Brexit?
Stuart McMillan: ...to the Scottish economy. In the past six months since the European Union referendum, there have been clever arguments to make about how we can try to mitigate the worst of the looming damage that Brexit will inflict and help to stimulate the economy. Meanwhile, the rest of the world looks on at the Tories’ pantomime politics on Brexit with bemused perplexity and irritation. As the Tory...