Emma Harper said that the financial impact of Brexit was being felt by Scottish businesses as exporters face uncertainty about the future.
This comes after the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) and other industry voices demanded a clear timetable for the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement and a review of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) which is set to come into force on 1 July.
The FPC chief executive said that the industry cannot prepare because it does not have access to adequate information on time and has “no confidence in the UK Government” because of its willingness to “say one thing and do another”.
Scotland’s economy secretary Kate Forbes also criticised the EU deal for selling out the fishing industry, and the SNP is now calling on the Labour government to consult with the Scottish Government in order to ensure new arrangements meet the needs of exporters and food producers in Scotland.
“Once again, the real costs of Brexit are being laid bare for all to see, not only in financial terms, but in deep uncertainty and instability inflicted on businesses across Scotland,” said Harper.
“This is a wholly unacceptable way for Labour to treat vital sectors of our economy. Firms have spent millions in good faith preparing for inspections and compliance, only to have the rug pulled from under them by Labour’s repeated U-turns and dithering. Businesses need clarity, not chaos.”
Harper went on to describe the uncertainty caused by the agreement on a new SPS deal as a “masterclass in mismanagement”.
“Scotland’s world-class food and drink industry deserves better [and] only the SNP are standing up for Scotland’s interests,” she continued.
“It is vital that the UK government consults with the Scottish Government and industry on the SPS agreement as key issues remain unresolved, and Scotland must have a say to protect our interests.
“Ultimately, the best solution, that delivers certainty, investment, and growth, is re-joining the EU Single Market. Only by returning to frictionless trade and regaining a seat at the table in European institutions can we undo the damage of Brexit and protect our economy for the future.”
Upon the announcement of a deal with the EU, prime minister Keir Starmer said: “We’re ready to work with partners if it means we can improve people’s lives here at home.
“So that’s what this deal is all about – facing out into the world once again, in the great tradition of this nation. Building the relationships we choose, with the partners we choose, and closing deals in the national interest. Because that is what independent, sovereign nations do.”
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