Nicola Sturgeon to call for pause in Brexit negotiations to create “cross party, all government approach”

Nicola Sturgeon will travel to London to argue for a pause in Brexit negotiations to allow time to create “a cross party, all government approach” which recognises Theresa May’s failure to win a majority in the general election.

Meeting the new SNP parliamentary group, Sturgeon will call for devolved governments to be included in the negotiations with the Joint Ministerial Committee re-established.

The SNP is also calling for May to establish an advisory group containing cross party representation alongside representatives of all devolved governments to agree a new position for the UK and oversee the Brexit negotiations.

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The advisory group should also ensure both sides of the political debate in Northern Ireland are represented, Sturgeon will argue.

The FM will also call for the UK Government to put negotiate for single market membership, and guarantee the rights of EU nationals to remain with immediate effect.

Sturgeon said: “In what is a very unstable situation for the UK Government, it is essential that time is taken to secure a consensus over the approach to Brexit negotiations.

“The Tories hard Brexit plan has been rejected and we cannot allow the Brexit negotiations to become hostage to the inability of either the Tories or Labour to command a clear majority.  It is imperative that we now build a cross party, all government approach to Brexit that will protect all of our interests at this highly uncertain time.

“The strongest possible position in the Brexit negotiations will be one that is backed by all parties and all governments across the UK.

“As a first step it is now imperative that the UK Government takes a short pause before beginning negotiations to work with others to put together a new position – one that is truly based on the interests of the whole of the UK. 

“The Tory position on Brexit does not carry popular support, is not backed by all four nations of the UK or a majority of MPs and any attempt to continue with it will be disastrous for Scotland and for Britain.”