Nicola Sturgeon plans to secure EU customs union

UK prime minister Theresa May will “move heaven and earth” to trigger Article 50 and start its divorce talks with the EU by the end of March, but there is no disguising that London is badly prepared for the looming negotiations, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon told a business gathering in Dublin.

However, she said it was most unlikely the UK-wide referendum in June to exit the EU would be overturned, and that the Scottish government wanted to push London to secure the best possible deal that ensured it maintained as many of the benefits of the current customs union as possible.

Talking to the business group Ibec, she said Scotland shared the concerns of Irish business about the lack of information from London on its plans for negotiations with Brussels.