Leaked UK Government economic analysis of Brexit echoes Scottish Government's

Leaked regional economic analysis of Brexit from the UK Government has confirmed that the Scottish economy will be damaged by the UK leaving the EU.

The figures paint a slightly bleaker picture than analysis published by the Scottish Government in January.

Reports obtained by Buzzfeed last week have now been broken into regional assessments, and show that every area of the UK is set to lose out after Brexit.

It predicts that The UK leaving the EU without a trade deal in place would hit Scottish economic growth by nine per cent, half a point worse than the Scottish Government analysis.

If the UK leaves with a free trade deal - the UK Government's favoured option - the Scottish economy will be hit by six per cent, according to the papers, while continued membership of the European single market would Single market membership would result in 2.5 per cent lower growth than projected.

The Scottish Government’s independent analysis predicted similar figures, showing that under each of the three outcomes Scotland’s GDP could face a hit of around 8.5 per cent, 6.1 per cent and 2.7 per cent respectively.

Those figures were dismissed by the Scottish Conservatives last month as "completely over-the-top scaremongering".

Scotland's Brexit minister Michael Russell tweeted: "As is becoming increasingly clear , UK Government  Ministers poured scorn on the Scottish Government analysis whilst knowing that theirs was the same. Hypocritical is the kindest word - there are harsher and more accurate ones."

The SNP has called on UK ministers to publish the analysis in full.A UK Government spokesperson said: "As Ministers clearly set out in the House, this is provisional internal analysis, part of a broad ongoing programme of analysis, and further work is in progress.

"We are seeking an unprecedented, comprehensive and ambitious economic partnership - one that works for all parts of the UK. We are not expecting a no deal scenario."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "The Government's own research is now showing that Brexit will be an economic disaster for every part of the UK. We need to stop Brexit before it is too late.

"The Conservatives are putting the public in the firing line because they are hell bent on Brexit.

 “People did not vote to make themselves poorer and should have the right to reject a bad deal on Brexit.”