The former Labour Prime Minister explained that Ireland has suffered from “50 years of austerity” after becoming independent from the UK. Speaking on the podcast, Finding Common Cause Online with Gordon Brown, hosted by Our Scottish Future, Mr Brown warned against cutting ties with neighbouring countries due to the costs it would involve. He said: “We’ve just got to remember that after independence Ireland had 50 years of austerity.
“Ireland is a divided country, it’s not a united country and of course, Irelan’s wealth in the last few years is in part what I would not want to rely on of being a tax haven for multinational companies.
“There are many things in Ireland that I really do admire but I think you’re got to reckon that there have been costs and there will continue to be costs if you can’t find a cooperative relationship with the rest of your neighbours.”
He later dismantled Ms Sturgeon’s dream of re-entering the European Union as an independent Scotland by highlighting the significant loss in trade.
Mr Brown noted that the country had £50billion worth of trade with England compared to just £3billion with the EU.
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He said: “The nationalists and Nicola Sturgeon used to say it was a disaster for Scotland to leave the EU trade. I think 15 percent of our trade was with European countries.
“In fact 60 percent of our trade is with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“When you look at the economic disadvantages of leaving Britain compared to leaving the EU, the problems that would raise and the loss of jobs and the threat to our national incomie is four or five times greater than it has been from leaving the EU.
“If 60 percent of our trade is with the rest of the UK, a million jobs are dependent on it and you can’t really compared that with the changes from leaving the EU.
His comments come as former first minister Alex Salmond said independence supporters should capitalise on the scandal engulfing Boris Johnson and push for another referendum.
Predicting that the Prime Minister would be ousted this year after the outrage of Downing Street hosting parties during lockdown, Mr Salmond warned that any successor would be “more organised, more popular, more formidable and more ruthless than Boris Johnson”.
The Alba Party leader said Mr Johnson was the “worst Prime Minister in living memory” and argued independence campaigners would “not get a better opportunity” to achieve Scottish Independence.
Mr Salmond said: ” It’s in Boris Johnson’s nature to have scandals. The Tories know that so, at some point this year, they will get rid of him. But, the question we should be asking is, who comes next?”
