Nicola Sturgeon: Commons majority for remaining in single market

Nicola Sturgeon has said she believes there is a majority in the House of Commons for staying in the single market.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr show, Scotland's First Minister said by far the best option for the Scottish economy is to stay in the EU and the least damaging is staying in the single market.

She also said she would take a decision on whether to hold a second Scottish independence referendum by the end of the year once the shape of the Brexit deal became known.

She said: `I believe there is a majority in the House of Commons for remaining within the single market if Labour gets its act together.

`The vast majority of Labour members want to see the UK stay in the single market, so if we can bring that consensus together then I believe there is an opportunity.

`Jeremy Corbyn has to decide where he stands on all of this.

`I think most of his supporters will be deeply disappointed that he appears to be only slightly less in favour of a hard Brexit than the Tories are and many will find that completely inexplicable.'

Ms Sturgeon made the comments before the publication of a detailed study by the Scottish Government on the implications of leaving the European Union.

She said no clarity or certainty has been provided about a hard Brexit's supposed benefits.

The first minister said people wanted to see clarity over the relationship between the UK and Europe.

She added: `At that point, what I've said is that we will look at that and determine at that stage if Scotland should then have the right to choose between whatever that new relationship with the UK is going to be or choosing to be an independent country.'

Scottish Government analysis, published on Monday, sets out the impact on Scotland's future economic growth of three options for the future UK relationship with Europe, if the country cannot remain members of the EU.

The study - Scotland's Place in Europe: People, Jobs and Investment - looks at continued membership of the single market, a preferential trade agreement or non-preferential access on World Trade Organisation provisions.

She said: `More than 18 months on from the Brexit vote, it beggars belief that the UK Government is not only still unable to say what kind of relationship it wants with the EU, but has also failed to produce any meaningful economic assessment of the different possibilities.

`Bluntly, the hard Brexiteers have had their chance and failed.'

A UK Government spokeswoman said: `We are seeking a deal that works for the whole of the UK, that delivers on the result of the EU referendum.

`Rather than trying to undermine the result of a democratic referendum, we urge the Scottish Government to work with us to ensure, as we leave the EU, we protect the UK's vital internal market.

`Scotland trades four times as much with the rest of the UK as it does with the EU, so it is vital that we ensure that market continues unimpeded.'