Scotland should not have a closer relationship with the European Union than the rest of the UK, the new Chancellor has said.
Philip Hammond delivered a blow to Nicola Sturgeon’s bid to stay tied to the bloc by saying he could not envisage a scenario where it had a different relationship with Europe from the rest of Britain.
The First Minister is currently exploring options for negotiating a different deal for Scotland after 62% of voters north of the border backed remaining in Europe despite a leave result across the UK.
David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, said on Wednesday that new Prime Minister Theresa May planned to have “very early engagement” with Ms Sturgeon and said he was in favour of Scotland having a different Brexit deal from the rest of the UK if it was “doable”.
But Mr Hammond, who has replaced George Osborne in the Treasury, told BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Thursday: “Let’s make this United Kingdom economy work for all of us and let’s negotiate with the European Union from outside the European Union a relationship which works for Britain and works for Europe so that we can have as close a relationship in trade and commerce as we possibly can, while being outside the European Union as the British people determined we should be.”
He denied his stance meant the vote to remain north of the border was irrelevant, adding: “It means that however we voted, we are part of the United Kingdom and we have democratic decisions made across the United Kingdom and we will now implement the decision that the people of the United Kingdom collectively have made to leave the European Union.”
He said the best place for Scotland was inside the UK economy and outside the European Union and rejected the idea that there could be a separate relationship with the European Single Market.
He said: “We want to have access to the single market. We want British companies to be able to go on selling their goods and services into the single market, as they have done before, and that applies to Scottish businesses as much as it applies to English, Welsh or Northern Irish businesses.”
Ms Sturgeon, who hopes to meet Ms May in the next few days and has called for Scotland to be at the heart of Brexit negotiations, called the comments “deeply disappointing”.
She said: “I have been absolutely clear on this issue – the people of Scotland voted decisively to stay part of the European Union and their wishes must be respected.
“That includes respect from the UK Government, which is why Philip Hammond’s comments are deeply disappointing – I very much hope the new Prime Minister will be more open to constructive discussion.
“The Scottish Government is pursuing every possible avenue to protect out place in Europe – which of course means protecting businesses’ freedom to trade, the ability of workers to be protected and our right to continue to influence EU decisions.
“That work continues today with the first meeting of the standing council of experts I have assembled. We will continue to explore all options to protect Scotland’s place in Europe – and I have made clear that the option of an independence referendum must be on the table if it becomes clear that that is the best or only way of preserving our EU status.
“I hope that the new PM, Mr Hammond and all of the UK Government will understand that we are absolutely serious when it comes to achieving our goal of protecting Scotland’s vital interests.”
Ms Sturgeon has warned that a second independence referendum could be on back on the table in the next two years if a solution to keep Scotland within the EU cannot found.
