Holyrood rejects Theresa May's Brexit deal in overwhelming vote

The draft withdrawal agreement fails to "provide a solution to the current chaos of Brexit", Scottish Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell told MSPs.

A "unique collaboration" by the SNP, Labour, the Greens and the LibDems resulted in a joint motion condemning both May's deal and the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

With the motion passing, "Scotland will say that it rejects both the Prime Minister's deal and no deal, and instead looks to its politicians to find a better way forward," Russell said before the vote.

He reiterated the Scottish Government's support for the UK as a whole staying in the single market and customs union – but also pointed out SNP MPs would back either a second referendum on Brexit or an early general election.

Russell said: "The only option that does not provide a solution to the current chaos of Brexit is that proposed by the Prime Minister."

The current deal would see parts of Scotland "severely and permanently damaged" by a reduction in EU migrants, Russell added.

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He went on to warn it would make it "considerably harder" for legal and financial sector firms, many of whom are based in Edinburgh, to deal with Europe.

"Why would a party led by Ruth Davidson vote in favour of that?" he asked.

Russell continued: "In every area of Scotland there are businesses, organisations, communities and individuals who will suffer, directly suffer, over a long period of time if this deal is approved.

"Each and every person will suffer. The analysis we have done indicates that by 2030, if after leaving the EU we move to a free trade agreement, GDP will be cut by £9 billion – equivalent to £1,600 per person in Scotland.

"So forget £350 million a week more for the NHS – the reality is £30 a week less for every man, woman and child with no respite."

Russell continued: "This deal is not even the end of uncertainty. That is just another false promise.

"In fact the uncertainty flowing from the Prime Minister's deal would last until the end of the transition period, which will not be in December 2020, no-one believes that, more likely December 2022 or even later.

"That's at least four years of uncertainty to add to the two-and-a-half we've already had.

"Four more years of stagnation and lack of investment, with no guarantee that a free trade deal will ever be struck. Those are the fruits of Conservative government. More of the same and worse.

"More meaningless assertions, false claims, cliff-edge negotiations and economic lack of confidence and security. It mustn't happen. Scotland needs and deserves better than the Prime Minister's blindfold Brexit.

"For in truth this deal is about saving the Prime Minister, not about saving her country."

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Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins said the Prime Minister's deal is the only credible proposal to have been tabled since the EU referendum.

He said: "Either we leave the EU on the basis of the orderly Withdrawal Agreement that the Prime Minister and her team have negotiated, or something very close to it, or we crash out of the EU on a no-deal basis that would be a disaster for the economy."

He said the motion put forward by the other parties to oppose the withdrawal plans and a no-deal Brexit is "just noise" and rejecting the Withdrawal Agreement makes a no-deal Brexit more likely.

"We want a better alternative, says the motion, without any clue as to what that alternative would be and how could possibly be delivered," he said.

He accused the SNP of trying to "weaponise" Brexit in the service of independence and said Labour and the LibDems have been "hoodwinked" into giving their support, before calling on MSPs to reject the motion and back the Prime Minister's deal.

He stressed Brexit is happening because the British people voted to leave, adding: "If it turns out that we the Scottish Conservatives are alone in standing up for the one million Scots who voted for that outcome, so be it."

Labour's Neil Findlay said the Prime Minister's deal is "doomed" and called for a general election.

He said the overwhelming feeling is "uncertainty" and accused the Conservatives of bringing in "utter chaos" through the EU referendum.

He said: "The Prime Minister's days are numbered.

"For the sake of the country, our economy, our jobs, our children, our environment and the rights we enjoy the Prime Minister should admit the game is up and let democracy prevail in a general election."

Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer said that by voting to reject the Brexit deal, the Scottish Parliament will "say clearly on behalf of the people of Scotland that there is a better way".

"This is a crisis of the Tory Party which they have turned into a profound national crisis," he said.

"It's a bad deal for Scotland democratically, economically, environmentally, culturally and so much more.

"For all of this – the loss of free movement, the loss of single market membership, the loss of protections for labour and environment standards – we are going to pay almost £40 billion.

"Even the Tory negotiators must concede that paying to lose out on rights, on privileges and on advantages; paying to be poorer, is a ridiculous place to be."

Greer, who was one of those who brought the case to the European Court of Justice about whether, and how, Article 50 could be revoked, welcomed the Advocate General's advice that the UK could unilaterally abandon Brexit.

He added: "The Greens hope that the final say on this deal can be put back in the hands of the people and that the deal be put on the ballot paper up against the option of revoking Article 50 and clearly saying that the benefits of staying in the EU are available to us."