Mar192017
Speech of Prime Minister (by Video conference) at the International Diamond Conference “Mines to Market 2017” on 19th March 2017
Mar192017
19 Mar 2017
Nicola Sturgeon has conceded that her plans for independence would drive barriers between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
In an interview on the Robert Peston programme today, the First Minister admitted that, after Brexit,, “divergences” would soon be “opening up between the rules of the UK and the EU.”
The First Minister has said she wants an independent Scotland to become a member of the EU, or abide by its rules
According to Nicola Sturgeon, this would mean Scotland would be on the wrong side of a trade barrier to our biggest market in the rest of the UK.
This was also the conclusion of the Scottish Conservatives’ own Brexit group, which said that barriers to trade and freedom of movement would open up if Scotland left the UK.
Scottish Conservative spokesman for the constitution, Adam Tomkins MSP, said:
“The First Minister has some explaining to do.
“The rest of the UK is our biggest market, and is four times as important to Scotland as the EU. Yet by her own admission, an independent Scotland abiding by EU rules would soon ‘diverge’ the UK.
“The question for the First Minister is – why is it in Scotland’s self-interest to weaken our links with our biggest market – the rest of the UK.
“The best deal for Scotland is to stay part of the United Kingdom – and to do all we can to support a new free trade agreement with the EU, so we can protect our place in our own integrated domestic market will full access to the EU single market.
“The SNP is prepared to damage Scotland’s economy purely to win the prize it has been working for all its life – separating our country in two.”
“The logic behind Nicola Sturgeon’s separation proposals is falling apart.”
Mar192017
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee addressed the closing ceremony of an International Conference on “Buddhism in the 21st Century
Mar192017
The Central Vigilance Commission has noticed that certain sections of the media have reported that “the hard disc of the CVC portal has crashed and all data stored online till that date has been lost
Mar192017
Commenting on the warning from NHS Providers that frontline NHS services face “mission impossible” in meeting next year’s targets, Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said:
“This unprecedented warning from trusts is a new low for this Government’s disgraceful mishandling of our NHS.
“Theresa May has downplayed the worst winter crisis on record, in which nine out of ten hospitals were dangerously overcrowded, and ducked her responsibility to patients by failing to provide significant funding in the Spring Budget.
“Years of damaging Tory neglect have left the NHS unable to deliver on its constitution and yet ministers remain in denial of the crisis they have created.
“The public now expects urgent and immediate action to provide patients with the world-class, 21st Century health and social care system they truly deserve.”