BORIS Johnson is set to claim that it will cost more than £150 million to hold referendums on Brexit and Scottish independence next year.
The Prime Minister, who’s in Fife today to launch the Scottish Tory manifesto, said his party’s analysis suggested that it would take a minimum of nine months to hold both referendums next year and would cost £155m – with the second EU vote costing an estimated £138m and the indyref2 costing £17m.
The party leader also warned that giving the vote to 16-year-olds within nine months could cost up to £500m or result in an additional delay of at least six months to pass the necessary legislation and allow the Electoral Commission to register them.
READ MORE: Here are five times Tories tried to deceive voters in election campaign
Speaking ahead of the launch, Johnson said: “A majority Conservative government would get Brexit done and focus on the people’s priorities – such as increasing funding in our NHS and reducing the cost of living.
“The alternative is Jeremy Corbyn, a man who can’t even make up his mind on Brexit, submitting to a pact with Nicola Sturgeon, and we already know what terms she will demand – another divisive referendum on Scottish independence alongside a second vote on Brexit.
“The financial cost of this to taxpayers up and down the country will be in excess of £150m.
“But the real cost will be much, much higher: the chaos of two referendums in 2020 grinding the country to a halt and the world’s greatest political union reduced to the status of a bargaining chip.”
Paul Robertson, the SNP candidate for Banff and Buchan, rubbished Johnson’s claim.
“We will take no lectures on costs from the Tories given that their disastrous Brexit plans would wipe £9 billion a year from the Scottish economy by the end of the next decade, compared with EU membership – equivalent to around £1600 for everyone living in Scotland.
“That is a price that the people of Scotland must not be forced to pay.”
READ MORE: Tory candidates write to Labour opponents as Corbyn dubbed ‘prime ditherer’
The Prime Minister’s trip to Scotland comes the day after Theresa May’s former ambassador to the EU used a lecture in Glasgow University to accuse Johnson of “diplomatic amateurism”.
Sir Ivan Rogers, who was the senior civil servant dealing with Brexit after the EU referendum until his resignation in 2017, said the UK had been mired in a “political shambles” since the 2016 vote.
Rogers also rubbished claims by ministers that a trade deal with the EU can be completed next year.
He said the Prime Minister’s claims a Brexit deal could be concluded swiftly were “diplomatic amateurism dressed up domestically as boldness and decisiveness” and were actually strengthening the EU’s negotiating position.
He added talks breaking down before the end of 2020 – when the future trading relationship is supposed to be settled – “is much likelier than people realise”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel