Boost growth by Wales and Scotland rejoining EU, Plaid call to SNP

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader will say that the economic crisis requires that Wales and Scotland rejoin the European Union when she addresses the SNP conference in Aberdeen later today.

Liz Saville Roberts MP will reiterate her party’s call that the United Kingdom must urgently rejoin the single market and customs union “for the sake of our economy”.

She will add that ultimately, Wales and Scotland must rejoin the European Union “together as independent nations”.

In her speech, she will also cite a ‘game-changing’ new report by Professor John Doyle of Dublin City University which “debunks” the argument that Wales is too poor to be independent.

The report shows that the fiscal deficit that an independent Wales would face would be normal for comparable countries, a “fraction of what the unionists quote at us”, according to Saville Roberts, and that it is due to the fact that “independence is normal; chronic inequality under the Union is not”. 

The Plaid Cymru MP will say: “If Truss were honest with the public, she would admit that the main government policy damaging economic growth is Brexit itself.

“The effects of Brexit have now begun to materialise. OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation] figures show that UK GDP grew by 14.3% between 2016 and 2021. This is a smaller growth rate than four of the EU’s largest economies.

“During the same period, Germany had the highest growth at 32.2%, followed by Spain (25.6%), France (23%) and Italy (16.3%). Brexit Britain scraping the bottom of the barrel once again.

“Both the Tories and Labour are now deeply committed to the hard Brexit project. Both are committed to strengthening the horsepower of the economic crisis that’s hurtling towards us.

“For the sake of our economy, we must rejoin the single market and customs union.

“Wales marginally voted to leave in 2016. But no-one voted for this shock doctrine: the crazed destruction of industries, for skyrocketing mortgages, or for lower employment rights and environmental and safety standards.

“That’s why I am not afraid to tell the truth – Wales belongs to the European family of nations. Scotland belongs to the European family of nations.

“We must – and will – ensure a brighter future for our children by rejoining the European Union – together – as independent nations.”

New research

She will continue: “We’re told in Wales that we’re too poor to be independent. Too small to run our own affairs. Well, new research by Professor John Doyle of Dublin City University debunks that argument.

“Time and again, we have heard wild estimates about an independent Wales’ likely fiscal gap – that is the difference between public expenditure and what Wales raises in taxes.

“Surprise, surprise: Professor John Doyle shows our fiscal gap would be a fraction of what the unionists quote at us. In his words: ‘Wales’s fiscal gap is not sufficiently large to close off the possibility of a viable, independent Wales.’ It shows once and for all that ‘fantasy economics’ are peddled by those against independence.

“That’s because independence is normal. Chronic inequality under the Union is not normal.

“It is our duty now to show that it isn’t ‘independence for independence’s sake’. It’s independence for the sake of a more prosperous economy, wealthier citizens, and a more outward-looking nation taking our place among the nations of the world.

“We must be eagled eyed about the purpose of our shared political project. All of us in this place are here to improve the lives of the people of our respective nations. But we can’t work in isolation.

“Scottish independence, Welsh independence, Irish Unity. We are a common movement that exists and strives to build a better future, in stark opposition to the vicious inequality at the heart of the United Kingdom. We must therefore act as one for the common good.

“When Liz Truss says she will ‘face down the separatists who threaten to pull apart our precious union, our family,’ we know it’s not about pulling a family apart. When a family is this dysfunctional, it’s only right and fair for all the members to demand a voice.

“Let’s rebuild this family on an equal footing.”