Brexit Scottish and Welsh FMs push for transition interval extension

The First Ministers of Scotland and Wales have written to Boris Johnson to request an extension to the Brexit transition interval.

Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford imagine extra time is required to finish negotiations and help companies by way of restoration from the coronavirus pandemic.

The transition interval is scheduled to complete on 31 December.

The joint letter warns exiting then can be “terribly reckless”.

The European Union has stated it’s open to extending the interval, however an utility to take action should be made by 1 July.

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The UK authorities has beforehand rejected any requires an extension, arguing that it might result in additional uncertainty and further funds to the EU.

Ms Sturgeon stated that an extension was important to keep away from unnecessary harm to Scotland’s economic system at a time when Covid-19 was hitting companies when they’re most weak.

Within the joint letter, Ms Sturgeon and Mr Drakeford stated that with out an extension to the transition interval, at best there would solely be a dangerous “naked bones” commerce deal and even worse, a no deal final result.

They stated: “We’re conscious that the Withdrawal Settlement solely permits an extension of the transition interval if this has been agreed earlier than the top of June.

“On the time the Withdrawal Settlement was signed, no-one may have imagined the large financial dislocation which the Covid-19 pandemic has brought on – in Wales, Scotland, the entire of the UK, within the EU and internationally.

“Whereas we hope that the second half of this yr will see the beginnings of a restoration, we imagine that exiting the transition interval on the finish of the yr can be terribly reckless.”

‘Avoidable shock’

They stated it might pile additional “very important financial and social shock” on prime of the Covid-19 disaster, hitting companies whose reserves, in lots of instances, have already been exhausted, resulting in extra enterprise closures and redundancies.

However they stated the distinction was that this shock was avoidable.

The letter stated: “No-one may reproach the UK authorities for altering its place within the mild of the wholly unforeseeable Covid-19 disaster, notably because the EU has made it clear it’s open to an extension request.

“We subsequently name on you to take the ultimate alternative which the following few weeks present, to ask for an extension to the transition interval in an effort to present a respiratory area to finish the negotiations, to implement the end result, and to present our companies the chance to seek out their ft after the large disruption of current months.”