Scottish Parliament to back UK remaining in European Union

External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop will call for cross-party support for the Scottish Government’s motion of support for the UK’s EU membership.

With four weeks to go until the EU referendum, Ms Hyslop will highlight the EU’s promotion of workers’ rights, human rights, trade and investment, and action on climate change.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Ms Hyslop said: “There are only 28 days until the polls open for the EU referendum, and although opinion polls show strong support among the people of Scotland to stay in the EU, there is no room at all for complacency.

Why are some areas of Scotland so pro-European Union?

“There are so many ways in which the EU benefits us in our everyday lives that it is easy to forget where these benefits originated from, and over the next four weeks we must speak up and speak out about these benefits.

“Whether it’s preventing the exploitation of workers, improving opportunities for young people to work and study abroad or the significant leadership the EU has shown in tackling climate change, the EU has a positive legacy of achievement in which we should be proud to have played our part.

“Access to the single market of 500 million people, with an estimated 300,000 Scottish jobs associated with exports to the EU, offers Scotland incomparable trading opportunities which are key to our future economic prosperity.

“I am asking Parliament to unite behind a clear, unequivocal statement that whatever our political backgrounds, we believe Scotland and the UK should stay part of the European Union.”

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