Independent Scotland in EU would make Scots £3,000 a year richer – SNP

Craig Meighan, Press Association Scotland political reporter

An independent Scotland would make Scots £3,000 a year richer, the SNP has claimed.

The party said the “independence dividend” would come as a result of the economic cost of Brexit.

According to Stanford University economics professor Nick Bloom, up to 8% of the UK’s GDP has been lost due to leaving the EU – about £3,000 per adult.

Keith Brown, SNP deputy leader, said the figures showed how leaving the UK would benefit Scotland’s economy.

He made the claim days after Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested that an independence vote could be held if public opinion showed demand for one.

Mr Brown said: “Andy Burnham has stated the conditions for an independence referendum and now we know one of the prizes on offer – an independence dividend worth up to £3,000 for every person.

“Brexit has been an utter disaster for Scotland’s economy and public services – Westminster will never take us back into the EU, independence is the only way to make it happen.

“Leaving the EU has damaged growth and investment, costing the public finances £250 million every day – so much of the cost-of-living crisis that is hurting people across Scotland today can be traced back to the decision to drag us out of the EU against our will.

“Andy Burnham is wedded to Brexit, so it is encouraging that he has set out the process and recognised the need for allowing the people of Scotland a choice over our own future.

“Only by taking our place as an independent nation in the EU can Scotland turn the page on our chapter in broken Brexit Britain. Scotland needs a fresh start with independence.”

On Thursday, Mr Swinney wrote to Mr Burnham about how a legal mechanism for a second independence referendum could be agreed.

He said it is “important” he and Mr Burnham discuss “how we turn that principle into an agreed legal mechanism, as exists in Northern Ireland”.

He said previous UK leaders’ refusal to consider the option of another referendum was “clearly unsustainable”, and Mr Burnham’s remarks were a “long-overdue acceptance of the reality that the people of Scotland will decide their own future”.

The Prime Minister had indicated that Scotland should be in “exactly the same situation” as Northern Ireland.

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