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Scotland's huge trade with rest of Britain leads to questions around Brexit

Xinhua, January 26, 2017 Adjust font size:

Figures published Wednesday revealed Scotland's trade with the rest of Britain was worth four times the value of its exports to the rest of the European Union (EU), triggering discussions around the proposed Scottish independence referendum and Scotland's Brexit stance.

The latest Export Statistics Scotland report, published by the Scottish government, showed Scotland sold goods and services worth 49.8 billion pounds (62.8 billion U.S. dollars) to the rest of Britain in 2015.

Exports from Scotland to the EU in the same period amounted to 12.3 billion pounds.

The report showed Scotland's trade with the rest of Britain and exports to EU countries grew at the same rate -- 4.4 percent -- between 2014 and 2015.

David Mundell, the Secretary of State for Scotland said: "Our own domestic market in the UK is far and away the most important market for Scotland's businesses."

Today's figures show Britain is the vital Union for Scotland, and highlight the importance of maintaining the British market, he said.

Constant talk of a second independence referendum is creating damaging uncertainty for the Scottish economy, he said.

Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon had said that plans to take Britain out of the EU's single market had brought a second Scottish independence referendum "undoubtedly" closer.

In last June's referendum to determine Britain's continued membership of the EU, the people of Scotland voted to remain in the EU.

In a landmark ruling in the Supreme Court in London on Tuesday, the judges ruled that the British parliament, and not Theresa May's government, had to decide on the triggering of the Brexit process to start negotiations over Britain leaving the EU.

In their judgement, the law lords also ruled that the government did not have to seek approval of the devolved parliaments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Herald newspaper in Scotland said Wednesday that Brexit battle lines had been drawn for a Downing Street showdown between May and Sturgeon next week. Endit