Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 30 December 2020
30 Dec 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union
If the member wants to talk about the voice of business in Scotland, the head of the CBI in Scotland has said:
“A negotiated deal between the UK and the EU brings with it a slew of immediate benefits. For starters, it will protect jobs under pressure from the pandemic via duty and quota-free trade ... In short, the size of the prize is real. Ending years of division and delay by securing an agreement with the EU will help our economy during the biggest challenge of our generation.”
Does the member accept that, and what on earth is his party playing at in the Scottish Parliament when his colleagues down south are, at least, doing the responsible thing?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
Our debate is on motion S5M-23815, in the name of the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, on the trade and co-operation agreement between the United Kingdom and...
The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon)
SNP
Today, the Scottish National Party and, I hope, the Parliament, will vote on principle. We will vote against a rotten Brexit that Scotland has rejected all a...
Mike Rumbles (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
Will the First Minister give way?
The First Minister
SNP
I say to Mr Rumbles that it is time for Scotland to get the best possible deal, and that is a future as an independent European nation.
Mike Rumbles
LD
Like the First Minister, I believe that we, in Scotland, will be the poorer for ending a political and economic union of some 48 years—Interruption. Well, we...
The First Minister
SNP
The European Union is made up of independent nations. The Liberal position is this: they know how damaging and devastating Brexit is for Scotland, but the...
Dean Lockhart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Will the First Minister give way?
The First Minister
SNP
Perhaps I will get some of the benefits in a moment.
Dean Lockhart
Con
From tomorrow, we will be able to enter into free trade agreements with countries across the rest of the world. Over the past 15 years, the Scottish National...
The First Minister
SNP
None of those free trade agreements will make up for the loss of our membership of the world’s biggest single market, which we will get ripped out of—against...
The First Minister
SNP
No. It is better that the Tories listen to the reality of their sell-out of fishing. When it comes to the key white fish stocks that so much of the Scottish...
Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con)
Con
I quote: “This week’s vote is NOT about ‘EU membership’. The United Kingdom hasn’t been a member of the EU since 31 January. We’ve already left and there’s ...
The First Minister
SNP
Will the member give way?
Ruth Davidson
Con
I will wait until I have finished reading out quotations from this Nicola Sturgeon before I hear from that Nicola Sturgeon. Give me a moment. Nicola Sturgeo...
The First Minister
SNP
First, it is no wonder that the President of the European Commission backs the deal, because the EU has got everything that it wanted out of it. Secondly, no...
Ruth Davidson
Con
Not only will Scotland’s fishing fleet get more fish over time, as we become an independent coastal state, but we also get access to market for our fish proc...
The First Minister
SNP
Will the member give way?
Ruth Davidson
Con
I will not, on this. Let us be clear. the First Minister is voting for no deal, and let us be clear what voting against the deal would do.
The First Minister
SNP
Will the member give way?
Ruth Davidson
Con
The First Minister wanted answers on what voting against the deal would do for the UK, so I am giving them. To vote against the deal is to vote against zero...
The First Minister
SNP
First, I note that every single thing that Ruth Davidson has just listed we already had as a member of the European Union. What of all that we are losing in ...
Ruth Davidson
Con
The fishing fleet will build up. We have five years to build up our fishing fleet as we become an independent coastal state, and, crucially, as the fleet has...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I will be clear at the outset: the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill is a bad deal for Scotland, and I think that not even many of the people who vot...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Can Mr Leonard explain the difference in approach between Scottish Labour and Mr Keir Starmer, who was clear this morning that the choice on the table today ...
Richard Leonard
Lab
There is not such a difference. The proposition before us in this Parliament is different from the proposition in front of MPs in Westminster. I will say a b...
Ruth Davidson
Con
If the member wants to talk about the voice of business in Scotland, the head of the CBI in Scotland has said: “A negotiated deal between the UK and the EU ...
Richard Leonard
Lab
We are not playing at anything. We are making a serious intervention in an important democratic debate, one that is about the future of devolution, of the Sc...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Now that the motion and the two amendments have been moved, I call Joan McAlpine to speak on behalf of the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Comm...
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
The Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee has scrutinised Brexit and its implications since 2016. We have listened to thousands of hours of...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
This is a day of broken promises—but it could never have been anything else. UK voters were promised all the benefits of EU membership and none of the costs....