Thread by @nick_gutteridge

At another @epc_eu Brexit event, this time with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who will be talking about the future of Scotland-EU relations and her view on the situation in Westminster. Will put her quotes below 👇

Sturgeon says 'the chances of compromise have all but disappeared' given the state of the Tory leadership debate and so 'increasingly the likeliest way of avoiding a hard or no deal Brexit is for the UK to avoid Brexit altogether'.

Sturgeon then jokes: 'I can't imagine why anybody would want to be leader of the Conservative Party.'

Sturgeon says 'as someone who wants to see the UK and Scotland remain in the EU I'm not prepared to give up' on reversing Brexit. She says this 'could be achieved by revoking Article 50' and she 'will support if that's the alternative to crashing out in October with No Deal.'

But Sturgeon says she'd prefer a 2nd referendum. She admits there's 'no guarantee there would be a majority in the UK as a whole for staying in' but another campaign 'would offer the opportunity for those of us who want to see the UK stay in the EU to make and win that argument'.

Sturgeon calls the Tory leadership contest a 'horror show' and says Scotland has been ignored over Brexit: 'What's clear is very few people voted for the current position of chaos. While the opportunity to avert Brexit may have increased, so too has the possibility of a no deal.'

Sturgeon says the outcome of the leadership battle 'is going to lead to a world view that is even more at odds with Scotland's values and even more damaging to our future'. She adds: 'Brexit increasingly demonstrates why Scotland does need an ability to chart a different course.'

Sturgeon, on talk of US-UK trade deal involving lower food/env standards & private company access to NHS, says 'it was impossible to listen without reflecting on all things UK is in danger of losing.' Says in a world of trading blocs EU is best bet of protecting UK social model.

Sturgeon asked about possibility of hard Eng/Sco border after indy says Sco shouldn't 'have to choose between' trade with EU & UK - calls it a 'deep undemocratic unfairness Scotland is facing'. Says she wants UK to stay in Single Market even if Sco goes independent to avoid this.

Sturgeon on Labour: 'If no deal Brexit happens the principle responsibility will lie with the UK Gov and those who advocated an unrealistic position, but close behind that will be Lavour. Lab's failure to get off the fence has made it impossible to form an alternative majority.'

Sturgeon continues with a message to Corbyn: 'There's no getting away from the fact Labour is a significant roadblock to getting out of this mess.. Stop prevaricating and get off the fence. History is going to judge them very badly if their prevarication leads to disaster.'

Sturgeon calls idea of Westminster blocking a 2nd indy ref 'deeply undemocratic' and 'ridiculous and ludicrous'. She says such a position is 'tantamount' to the EU denying the UK the right to make a decision on Brexit. She says such opposition 'will prove to be unsustainable'.