4 April 2019

The Scottish government has been urged to outline planned revisions to the Scottish budget in the event of a no deal Brexit.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard raised the issue while questioning Nicola Sturgeon around preparations for no deal.

In the foreward to the Scottish Budget, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said:

“if we face a no deal or cliff-edge Brexit I will have to return to Parliament to reassess our spending priorities.”

Holyrood would not be able to set a new, ‘emergency budget’ in the event of no deal, but the government would be able to move money around different departments and could have the option of revising certain taxes such as Land and Buildings Transaction tax and Landfill tax.

Despite this, Nicola Sturgeon refused to commit to publishing plans or analysis ahead of a potential no deal in the coming week.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said:

“There is no escaping the fact that thanks to Theresa May and the Tories we are now facing the cliff edge of a no deal Brexit.

“Derek Mackay said that Brexit would represent an economic shock on the scale of the 2008 global financial crisis, and said he would reassess spending priorities.

“People deserve to know the immediate and direct impact no deal would have on funding for public services.”

On Scottish Tories laughing at the prospect of medicine shortages, Richard Leonard said:

“People across the country will be appalled that Tory MSPs laughed at the prospect of medicine shortages in the event of a disastrous no deal.

“For all the attempts to distance themselves from toxic politicians like Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the reality is the Scottish Tories hold precisely the same values."



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