Richard Lochhead and the SNP should apologise to the people of Moray for voting against a trade agreement between the UK and the EU and risking a "catastrophic" no deal outcome. 

SNP MPs refused to back the Future Partnership Agreement in the House of Commons – despite spending several months warning of the consequences of leaving without a deal.   

Richard Lochhead has made repeated public comments about the impact that a ‘no-deal’ Brexit would have on Moray businesses.   

However, the local MSP has now attacked the deal and agreed that his party colleagues in Westminster were right to vote against it.   

Scottish Conservative MP for Moray Douglas Ross said:   

“SNP politicians like Richard Lochhead have spent months, if not years, railing publicly against what they described as a catastrophic no deal Brexit.   

“The SNP also repeatedly asked for the transition period to be extended to avoid the risk of a cliff-edge exit.    

“Now, when MPs representing Scottish seats had the chance to vote for an orderly departure from the EU with access to the single market maintained, they have refused to do so.   

“Make no mistake, these MPs who claim to stand up for Scotland were happy to risk a no deal outcome and all the damage that would bring to our economy.  The impartial House of Commons library confirmed that if those opposing the Bill had been successful, the UK would have left with no deal. 

“Richard Lochhead should apologise for the games being played by his party at a time when we all need to come together for the good of the country.   

“This deal not only avoids a no-deal outcome, but it meets all of the Conservative manifesto commitments to take back control of our laws, our borders, our money, trade and fishing waters.   

“It is now clear the SNP were never interested in getting a deal that protected Scottish trade with the EU – all they were concerned about was stoking division between Scotland and the rest of the UK."