Journey To Yes - #8 - Elizabeth says Yes
Scotland is a small business nation. There are around 350,000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating in Scotland, providing an estimated 1.2 million jobs. Elizabeth owns a cosmetics business that depends on exports and the EU single market. Her decision to vote no was guided by fears that Scotland might not gain membership of the EU. The election of a Conservative majority in the 2015 made Elizabeth begin to reflect on her vote. Originally from Alabama, Elizabeth's childhood experiences of segregation instilled a deep distrust of divisive politics. Brexit and rise of increasingly right-wing Tory party caused Elizabeth to reject UK politics and fully rethink her position on independence. Brexit now represents a real and present threat to Elizabeth's business and the workers she supports. Elizabeth explains the barriers to trade that hard Brexit will bring including loss of access to vital EU single market and customs union at the hands of a UK Conservative Govt that does not understand the scale and complexity of Brexit. Scotland is now in a unique position to escape the economic damage Elizabeth believes will diminish the UK economy and can build a new and extraordinary independent nation.