Scottish election 2021: Sturgeon faces questions over 'hard border'

Nicola Sturgeon says she wants to keep trade flowing across an England-Scotland border if an independent Scotland re-joined the European Union.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, the SNP leader accepted there would have to be a border if an independent Scotland was in the EU.

But she said Scotland would try to negotiate arrangements to "keep trade flowing freely".

Opponents say a hard border with England would be "dreadful for trade".

The SNP want to hold a referendum on Scottish independence if they win a majority in the Scottish Parliament elections on 6 May.

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Ms Sturgeon was questioned on the practical details of an independent Scotland re-joining the EU.

"Of course we want to keep trade flowing across the England-Scotland border, that would be in the interests of Scotland as well and we would work to make sure that happened," she said.

"We will keep trade flowing freely, we will comply with all of the requirements of EU membership."

EU regulations set out that 30% of poultry, eggs, milk and fish, as well as 100% of live animals, need to be inspected when entering the single market.

'Up-to-date information'

Asked how she would police such a border, Ms Sturgeon said: "I am not denying what the EU regulations say. I am not denying because of the absurdity of Brexit that all sorts of issues are raised for Scotland completely against our democratic will.

"We would work as a country to make sure that for our businesses, there is no difficulties in terms of their day to day experiences in trading."

Ms Sturgeon was pressed further on whether she had modelled the impact of Scottish independence on people's incomes.

She responded: "If I was do to all of that modelling now we'd have to redo it when we were asking people to make that choice. I believe it's right to only ask people to make a choice of that magnitude on the basis of quality up to date information."

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The Scottish Liberal Democrats treasury spokeswoman Christine Jardine said it was time the SNP "came clean on whether they are planning tax rises or spending cuts".

"This week has not only exposed the SNP as desperately confused over the economics of independence but revealed that they are contemplating a hard border with England," she added.

"This would not only be dreadful for trade but throw up barriers between friends and families."

Willie Rennie was on the campaign trail at a dry ski slope

On the election campaign trail, the Liberal Democrats have been highlighting mental health support for police officers.

Party leader Willie Rennie said the emergency services in Scotland were suffering a mental health crisis because they were working under a government that was "distracted".

SCOTLAND'S ELECTION: THE BASICS

What's happening? On 6 May, people across Scotland will vote to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The party that wins the most seats will form the government. Find out more here.

What powers do they have? MSPs pass laws on aspects of life in Scotland such as health, education and transport - and have some powers over tax and welfare benefits.

Scottish Labour it was "reckless beyond imagining" for the SNP to call for a referendum during the recovery from the pandemic, while economists warned Scotland was headed for a jobs crisis.

Commenting on Ms Sturgeon's Andrew Marr interview, the party's Scotland spokesman Ian Murray said: "Hearing the casual way with which Nicola Sturgeon dismisses those independent experts that she is so fond of quoting when they agree with her and her failure to answer any of the tough questions on separation - from effects on income to the border - is playing fast and loose with people's futures.

"Scotland deserves better than this. Scottish Labour is opposed to independence and a second referendum."

On the campaign trail in Fife, party leader Anas Sarwar said only Labour could hold the SNP to account and ensure that the next parliament was focused on the "national recovery".

Anas Sarwar was on the campaign trail in Dunfermline

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Ms Sturgeon's plans for a "post-referendum border" with England would be a "hammer-blow" for Scottish businesses.

"By Nicola Sturgeon's own admission, the SNP are clueless about the economic impact of independence. They've done no analysis on how many jobs it would put at risk or how much damage would be done to Scotland's economy," he said.

"She floundered and didn't have a single convincing answer to dispel the overwhelming evidence that separating Scotland from the rest of the UK would be devastating for jobs and businesses."

Meanwhile, the party has been campaigning on the need to protect Scottish jobs and the economy by reopening safely at a slightly faster pace.

Lorna Slater, the Scottish Greens co-leader, has been litter-picking in a canal in Edinburgh

The Scottish Greens have been focusing on "pointless plastics" in their campaign, with the party pledging to phase out single use "non-essential" plastics by 2025 in a move towards a "circular economy".

Speaking ahead of a litter pick on a canal in Edinburgh, Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater said: "Plastic pollution is choking our planet, and we need to act.

"The Scottish Greens will deliver a dramatic reduction in the use of single use plastics where suitable alternatives are available."

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