Brexit ‘undermining’ society, warns 60 public figures

Anne Glover - Engage for Education/CERN

Over 60 individuals from Scottish public life have called for the Brexit process to be halted.

In an open letter in the Herald newspaper, prominent figures from politics, science and the third sector say the process of leaving the EU has left society and the economy “ever more undermined”.

Former First Minister and Holyrood columnist Henry McLeish and fellow Labour veterans George Robertson, Helen Liddell and George Foulkes are joined by SNP MEP Alyn Smith and former Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson in signing the letter.

RELATED CONTENT

Brexit uncertainty hitting business in Scotland, finds PwC

EXCLUSIVE: Ian Duncan on taking a role in Brexit and a seat in the Lords

Other signatories include former Chief Medical Officer Harry Burns, former Chief Scientific Advisor Anne Glover, STUC general secretary Grahame Smith, Friends of the Earth Scotland director Richard Dixon and SCVO chief executive Martin Sime.

"We see our society, economy and politics becoming ever more undermined due to the impact of Brexit,” the letter says.

"We recognise that a narrow majority voted to leave the European Union, but the disastrous consequences are now becoming ever clearer - every day.

"Even before the UK has left the EU, we face falling living standards, rising inflation, slowing growth and lower productivity."

Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, McLeish said: "We see Brexit taking us towards a catastrophe, there are no perceived benefits, and in the meantime we see negotiations in Brussels going nowhere and we see a cabinet in government at Westminster that's shambolically handling the affairs."

Meanwhile a memo sent to UK ministers over the weekend suggests France and Germany are looking to establish Paris and Frankfurt as financial centres after London leaves the EU.

The City of London's envoy on Brexit Jeremy Browne reportedly told ministers: “They are crystal clear about their underlying objective: the weakening of Britain, the ongoing degradation of the City of London.

“The clear messages emanating from Paris are not just the musings of a rogue senior official in the French government or central bank. France could not be clearer about their intentions.”