Commenting on today’s announcement by the Prime Minister that she intends to seek a General Election on June 8^th, Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil said:

 

“It is a great privilege to serve the people of Na h-Eileanan an Iar in Parliament and I would hope to be re-elected if a snap General Election takes place on June 8th.

 

“This is a panicked announcement by Theresa May, she knows she isn’t going to get a deal on trade with Europe which means for our crofters, any exports of lambs to Europe will incur a 20% tariff and any fish and shellfish will see a 12% tariff.

 

“She is doing this so she doesn’t have to face the public after Brexit negotiations when she has nothing, so she is cutting and running now.

 

“We have to put Scotland’s interests first at this election.

 

“Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, in fact the rest of the world, are watching to see what sort of country Scotland is. There is chaos and a lack of strategy at Westminster especially after triggering Article 50 then calling a General Election, this should definitely have been the other way around.

 

“We can do much better and the world is watching to see if we can have the courage and confidence to govern ourselves and become an independent Scotland.”