Bespoke EU deal could be ‘biggest change’ for businesses, say Lib Dems

Scotland should benefit from a “bespoke customs union” between the UK and Europe, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have said, insisting it could be “the single biggest change” to help business and the economy.

Deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain said if her party wins May’s Scottish election it would make it government policy to support such a deal.

She hailed this as “the single biggest change that could be made to fix trade, boost growth and improve government finances”.

She also pledged that Liberal Democrats would champion Scottish produce overseas and work with the UK Government to remove “unnecessary barriers” that can hinder trade on “key Scottish exports” such as whisky.

The MP spoke out about her party’s plans for business and economy as she visited the Rabble hotel, restaurant and bar in Edinburgh.

Speaking as she made a mocktail using non-alcoholic produce from Scotland, Ms Chamberlain said: “From our world class distilleries to engineering excellence, Scotland has so much going for it. But right now, it feels like our country simply isn’t working.

“Under the SNP, growth has stalled and productivity is weak. Meanwhile, the botched Brexit deal – pushed by Nigel Farage and delivered by the Conservatives – is making us all worse off and Labour don’t have a plan.”

The Liberal Democrat election campaign chairwoman added that her party believes “fair economic growth is the only way out of our fiscal mess and the cost of living crisis”.

She added: “We will back business to innovate, scale and trade. We believe in building new economic alliances in an insecure world.

“We will make it official Scottish Government policy to support a new bespoke customs union between the UK and EU – the single biggest change that could be made to fix trade, boost growth and improve government finances.

“That’s how we deliver change with fairness at its heart.”

But the SNP’s Maree Todd, who is standing in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said: “The Highlands and Islands needs a full return to the EU – no half measures like the Lib Dems are suggesting.

“Broken, Brexit Britain is in terminal decline and only the SNP is fighting for our return to Europe – that only comes through a fresh start with independence and only a vote for the SNP can secure that.”