Why Brexit is uniting Scottish nationalists and unionists – Ailie Ross-Oliver

This week I am part of the launch of Our Future Our Choice Scotland; the first nation-wide youth People’s Vote campaign.

Young Scottish nationalists and unionists are joining forces to call for a People's Vote or second referendum on the UK's EU membership (Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty Images)

Scottish nationalists and unionists alike are brought together in our campaign through unity against Brexit and determination for a second referendum on Brexit.

A People’s Vote is now essential as young people did not vote for this Brexit mess that we now find ourselves in. The Prime Minister’s deal offers nothing but a guarantee of years of uncertainty; this is bad for young people, bad for our economy and bad for our society as a whole.

Polling by YouGov in November 2018 highlighted that at least 84 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds would vote to remain in a referendum on EU membership.

The Government’s own statistics show that Brexit will have a hugely adverse impact on young people costing us up to £108,000 each by 2050.

The only way to break the current political deadlock is to give people the opportunity to vote. The huge scale of economic losses is now clear, people now understand what Brexit will entail and the impact that it will have on their friends and family.

Scotland didn’t vote for this mess either. More recent polling by What Scotland Thinks indicates that 65% of people in Scotland now want to remain; an increase since 2016.

Nationalists campaigning for a People’s Vote understand that if the UK leaves the EU and Customs Union, then the practical prospects of an independent Scotland becomes hugely damaged.

An independent Scotland would be faced with the same economic border issues that have arisen in Northern Ireland.

What Scotland Thinks found that since the 2016 EU referendum there has been an increase in support for Scottish independence – to 53 per cent. For unionists, this presents an existential threat to the UK's pluri-national union.

Unity against Brexit is bridging divides across Scotland that relate to independence. Both Nationalists and Unionists agree that Brexit is hugely detrimental for our country. Our Future Our Choice (OFOC) Scotland highlights the damaging impact that Brexit will have on young people in Scotland.

The only way forward is through a People’s Vote.

Ailie Ross-Oliver is a campaigner with the Our Future Our Choice (OFOC) group