Thread by @tomfrench85

New analysis shows the UK is the only country in north west Europe to have suffered a decrease in exports since the Brexit vote in 2016.

Far from increasing trade, as Boris Johnson promised, the UK has suffered a downturn - costing £billions #BrexitChaos

heraldscotland.com/politics/19558…

While Ireland has increased its volume of exports in goods and services by 48.1% over the past five years, the UK has seen a decrease of 5.5%.

That puts it behind all thirteen neighbouring countries - and the only country to see a decline.

(House of Commons Library, IMF data).

On average, independent countries of Scotland's size or smaller have recorded the biggest increase in exports since 2016 at +16.7%, compared to an average increase of +11.9% for all countries in north west Europe.

(House of Commons Library, IMF data)

When the impact of Covid-19 is taken into account, and figures compared from 2020, the UK still has the worst decline in exports of any country in north west Europe at -19.3%.

The analysis also shows that in the first quarter after joining the EEC, the total value of UK goods exports increased by +16% compared to 1972.

In contrast, in the first quarter of 2021 following the Brexit deal, the total value of UK goods exports fell by -11% compared to 2020

"It is increasingly clear that independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe from the long-term damage of Boris Johnson's hard Tory Brexit deal" - @drewhendrySNP

heraldscotland.com/politics/19558…