SCOTTISH voters have been urged to support candidates who support remaining in the EU and who have the best chance of winning in next week’s General Election.
The call came from pro-EU campaigning organisation the European Movement in Scotland, which has set up a tactical vote website recommending who to vote for in each Scottish constituency.
In an open letter to the voters it said voters should back Remain candidates, as polls had consistently shown a majority in the UK favouring staying in the EU – along with 62% of voters in Scotland backing the Remain side in the 2016 referendum. This meant voting tactically for the Remain candidate with the best chance of winning, be they SNP, Green, LibDem, or a Labour Remainer.
The group also sought to address concerns of Remainers who oppose Scottish independence, noting in its letter: “It may be a stretch for Remainers who oppose Scottish independence fearing their vote will be interpreted as being in favour of independence. But this view is misplaced; independence could only be decided by a separate referendum which could only happen after a second EU referendum.”
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It highlighted evidence from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research which pointed to the fact that Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal was expected to cost the UK economy up to £70 billion over the next decade compared with remaining in the EU. This would shave up to 4% from the size of the economy by the end of the 2020s, equivalent to about £1100 per person per year.
David Clarke, vice-chair of the European Movement in Scotland, said: “The EU has brought countless benefits to Scotland – giving us the freedom of movement, supporting scientific research, strengthening our universities, providing funding for rural areas and safeguarding workers’ rights.
“Brexit will affect the current generation for years to come and it is vital for our democracy and our country that we back those candidates supporting remaining in the EU.
“We are asking voters to set aside their views on independence and vote to stop Brexit.”
Clarke added: “We represent local, cross-party, pro-EU groups across Scotland that bridge the ‘Yes-No’ divide on independence – because we all put securing our place in Europe first.”
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