Europe has delivered strong protections for workers and public health
Ross Greer, Europe spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP Candidate for the West of Scotland, today told delegates at the party's Spring Conference in Edinburgh that Greens must not shy away from challenging other parties on the same side in the EU referendum debate.
The Scottish Greens at their autumn conference last October voted to adopt a position of campaigning to remain in the EU, campaigning for reform but refusing to join any campaign group involving the Tories.
This weekend's conference has provided a pre-election boost for Scottish Green activists ahead of their biggest Holyrood campaign to date as they seek to capitalise on strong polling and a surge in membership and elect Green MSPs from across Scotland's eight electoral regions.
Ross Greer said:
"Scottish Greens want to see a radically reformed European Union and leaving certainly brings that no closer. Despite its flaws Europe has delivered strong protections for workers and public health, and most importantly in my view it has meant the free movement of people which brings huge opportunities to us as individual EU citizens and to our cultures overall. That principle is under pressure amid the refugee crisis and we must defend it against right-wing attacks.
“We must challenge those who are technically on the same side as us in this in-out referendum. David Cameron's idea of a better Europe is one where big business rules the roost and desperate human beings are turned away in times of need. That is not a Green Europe, we cannot allow that agenda to dominate and Scottish Greens will push back against it to help deliver a positive vote to remain in and truly reform the EU.”