Nicola Sturgeon creates council of experts to advise on protecting Scotland’s relationship with Europe

Nicola Sturgeon has responded to the Brexit vote by creating a council of experts to advise on protecting Scotland’s relationship with Europe.

In a statement to Parliament following the referendum, Sturgeon said she was “deeply disappointed and profoundly concerned” by the Leave vote, which has left Scotland facing “risk and uncertainty greater, perhaps, than at any time in the post-war period”.

The First Minister used her statement to speak directly to those who have moved to live in Scotland, telling them, “You are welcome in Scotland. This is your home. We value your contribution.”

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The Standing Council, composed of specialists in legal, financial, business and diplomatic matters, will advise the Scottish Government on how to “protect Scotland’s relationship with and place in the European Union”.

On the new council, which will be chaired by Professor Anton Muscatelli, Sturgeon said: “We now need to set out and evaluate all the impacts of the referendum result and all of the options open to Scotland to secure our relationship with the EU.

“The Council draws on a breadth and wealth of knowledge and experience, comprising specialists with backgrounds in business, finance, economics, European and diplomatic matters, and it will encompass a range of political and constitutional opinions.”

The Scottish Conservatives tabled amendment removing the mandate for the Scottish Government to hold talks with EU institutions and member states on protecting Scotland’s relationship with the EU.

Ruth Davidson’s amendment also emphasised that “1.6 million votes cast in the EU referendum in favour of remain do not overturn the two million votes in support of Scotland remaining part of the UK less than two years ago”.

Ruth Davidson said: “In the days since the result last week, it feels to many people across Scotland that the SNP is talking about nothing but independence.

“You do not dampen the shock waves caused by one referendum by lighting the fuse for another. Nor by saying that the economic impact of leaving one union means you should sever ties with a greater union whose value in trade eclipses it many times over.”

But Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale reacted furiously to Davidson’s comments.

She said “Let me warn Ruth Davidson. She had better not dare suggest Labour failure to back her motion is somehow a failure to back the United Kingdom,” adding: “I struggle to put into words the anger I feel towards her party at the moment”.

Dugdale said: “All options for protecting Scotland’s place in the single market must be explored, including a federalised united kingdom which could see those nations of the UK which voted to remain retain membership or receive associated status.”

Standing Council on Europe:

Chair: Professor Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice chancellor, University of Glasgow

Vasco Cal, former economic adviser at the European Commission

Sir David Edward, European Court judge

David Frost, whisky, trade expert, former diplomat

Dame Anne Glover, former chief scientific adviser to President Barosso

Charles Grant, Centre for European Reform, London

John Kay, economist

Lord Kerr, diplomat, deputy chair ScottishPower, Carnegie Trust

Dame Mariot Leslie, diplomat

David Martin, MEP

Amanda McMillan, CEO Glasgow Airport

Professor Alan Miller, former chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission

Anne Richards, M&G Investments & Edinburgh University Court

Frances P Ruane, Irish academic economist & former director of ESRI

Alyn Smith, MEP

Grahame Smith, STUC, Scotland Europa

Professor Andrew Scott, University of Edinburgh

Fabian Zuleeg, European Policy Centre, Brussels