Letters: Scotland has more to lose from Brexit than England

Martin Redfern hasn't thought through claims that there would be a hard border between Scotland and England if Scotland was to remain in the single market or the EU after Brexit (Letters, January 27).

Our reader argues that Scotland has more to lose from Brexit. Picture; Jane Barlow

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Scotland remains England’s fourth largest export market, so it is not in Westminster’s interests to have tariffs. The UK’s massive trade deficit would be 16% higher without Scotch Whisky and England relies on 50% of its hydrocarbon needs from Scotland.

Scotland’s export growth to the EU and rest of the world has been damaged for more than 30 years by Westminster’s failed economic policies as successive UK governments have followed a strategy of maintaining an artificially high pound to benefit the City of London financial markets.

Brexit does not impact on all parts of the UK equally. Scotland with 8.4% of the UK population receives 17.4% of all EU grants to the UK and exports far more per head than the rest of the UK, therefore Brexit will harm Scotland to a far greater extent.

Despite Brexit having a huge impact on devolved matters, the 760 unelected members of the House of Lords will have a say over Article 50 but not our MSPs.

Rather than relying on a Tory party that Scotland has firmly rejected at every election for the last 20 years, we need to take back control of our sovereignty as it is far better that we, who live and work here, decide our future, in or out of the EU, through our democratic Scottish Parliament

Fraser Grant, Edinburgh