Greens vote for Scotland’s right to decide on Brexit
The Green MSPs have voted for Scotland to have its say over Brexit, giving the Scottish Government a mandate to seek permission from the UK government to hold an independence referendum.
As well as voting for a “section 30” order, MSPs backed a Green amendment calling for European Union citizens and 16 and 17 year olds to have the ability to vote in the forthcoming independence referendum, a privilege denied to them in the 2016 EU referendum.
Ross Greer MSP, the Scottish Greens’ external affairs spokesperson says that 2018, when the details of the Brexit deal are known, would give voters in Scotland a choice between independence and walking off a “Hard Brexit cliff”.
West of Scotland MSP Ross Greer said:
“It should be our responsibility, as those elected by the people of Scotland – to fight for their right to choose their own future. In a period where 27 other EU nations – and a number of regions – will have their say on Scotland’s future – it is only right that the people who live here have their say as well. And it should be all the people of Scotland who have that say, between the only options left, the Tories’ Hard-Brexit and putting Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.
“What’s essential now is that the forthcoming referendum on independence invokes the spirit of the 2014 referendum and does not repeat the mistakes of the 2016 EU referendum, a process which isolated so many in our country. It would be wrong that our young people, who stand to lose so much outside of Europe, or our neighbours who have come from elsewhere in the EU to live here were excluded from a decision which will have such an effect on their lives.
“Giving the people that choice in autumn of 2018 - when the details of the deal are known – would give us the time to begin extracting Scotland from this mess before the Tories hurl Britain off the Hard Brexit cliff – if that is what the voters choose.
“This wouldn’t be without its challenges. However, it is incumbent on those questioning the challenges of independence to also defend their far more difficult Hard Brexit position. The Scottish Government offered the UK government a compromise that could have recognised both votes – but it has been ignored. Now these two positions are irreconcilable and it should be for the people to choose between them.”