Nicola Sturgeon: '˜nothing true' in Theresa May's '˜desperate' Brexit letter

Nicola Sturgeon (right) criticised Theresa May's Brexit letter. Picture: PA/AFP

In a “letter to the nation” published before the Prime Minister met the other 27 EU leaders in Brussels, Mrs May said leaving the union on March 29 2019 would mark “a new chapter in our national life”.

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The Prime Minister said the UK would “take back control” of its borders, laws and money, with more to spend on the NHS.  READ MORE: David Mundell: Back Theresa May’s Brexit deal or face ‘chaos’

In her attack, the First Minister reiterated a call to stay in the single market and customs union or hold a second referendum.

Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “I don’t say this lightly, but almost nothing in this desperate letter is true. This is a bad deal, driven by the PM’s self-defeating red lines and continual pandering to the right of her own party. Parliament should reject it and back a better alternative”.

The Scottish Government’s Brexit secretary Mike Russell said the deal “does not work for Scotland”.

“It takes Scotland out of the European Union against our democratic wishes, it removes us from the single market against our economic interests, and it would put us at a competitive economic disadvantage compared to Northern Ireland,” he said.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: I dont say this lightly, but almost nothing in this desperate letter is true." Picture: Jane Barlow/PA

“The only thing it guarantees is years of damaging uncertainty, which will cost jobs and hit living standards and, by ending freedom of movement, will make it harder to attract the staff we need for our NHS.

“That is why the Scottish Government will now work with others to get a better deal for Scotland within the European single market and customs union – which is eight times bigger than the UK market alone – and why we support another referendum on EU membership.”