The campaign to rejoin the European Union is gathering strength – Jackie Baillie

Let me put my cards on the table. My father was Portuguese and my mother was Scottish. I campaigned hard for Scotland and the rest of the UK to remain in the European Union.

And, a decade on, I still believe it is in our best interests to have strong ties with our European neighbours. That is why I fully agree with Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra's speech in Edinburgh yesterday where he clearly stated that he wants to see Scotland and all the UK aspire to rejoin the EU.

Andy Burnham has said that Brexit has done more harm than good to our country. He is right. And the Prime Minister and his government have already begun the hard work of rebuilding our relationship with our European neighbours.

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Supporters of rejoining the European Union attend a rally to mark the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum in London in June this year. Picture: Brook Mitchell | Getty Images

War, Trump and Covid

It is clear that, in this increasingly dangerous world, we need to redefine our relationship with Europe in our national interest. The world is a different place than it was in 2016.

We have a land war in Europe. America has taken a protectionist political turn unseen since the early 20th century. A global pandemic has reshaped working practices across the globe. And the old certainties that have underpinned our politics can no longer be taken for granted.

It is our duty as politicians to safeguard our national interest in troubled times. And when it comes to our economic, social and security concerns, it is clear that Scotland and the UK would be well served by once more being part of the European Union.

The fiasco of leaving the EU has seen our businesses being strangled by red tape and has limited opportunities for our young people.

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Chaos and confusion

Rebuilding our place in Europe offers one of the biggest opportunities we have to strengthen our economy. Breaking down barriers with our biggest trading partner would help Scottish businesses grow, attract investment and create better-paid jobs.

It could help bring down prices and generate more money for our public services. I do not, for one moment, think re-joining will be easy, or that it is a panacea for all the problems we face. The EU is a flawed institution – but it is better to be part of the solution to its problems than to impotently feel the consequences from a distance.

We now have an opportunity to begin to heal some of the damage done to our country over the last decade and to begin to future-proof our country for the challenges ahead.

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What the Brexit debacle has made abundantly clear is the chaos and confusion that comes with attempting to separate from a long-standing political and economic union. It should be a warning against all those politicians who promise a land of milk and honey if only we break away from a union or alliance.

The values of solidarity and co-operation across borders are so important to our political vision of the future, but they also underpin the approach we need to take to safeguard Scotland and the UK.

It's time to bring people together, to find common ground and to set out a safer and more secure vision of our future.

Jackie Baillie is MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader and her party’s spokesperson for health