THE SNP has become the first Scottish party to register as an official campaigner in the In-Out referendum on Europe.
The move will allow the Nationalists to spend up to £700,000 in favour of an In vote.
The only other registered party in the UK are the Liberal Democrats.
David Cameron is hoping to secure a series of reforms from the 27 other EU leaders at a European Council meeting later this month, paving the way for a vote on June 23.
Council president Donald Tusk last week published a draft plan to deliver Cameron’s wish-list, which was welcomed by the Prime Minister but dismissed by his Eurosceptic critics.
The proposals include an “emergency brake” on benefits for EU migrants, far short of the PM’s plan for a four-year ban on in-work benefits to curb migration.
However Cameron insisted the package was “a deal worth fighting for”, and is now holding fresh talks with EU leaders ahead of a crunch summit in Brussels on February 18.
Although the SNP share Cameron’s desire for an In vote, they will not be part of any cross-party alliance, given the toxic effect on Labour of aligning with Tories in Better Together.
SNP MEP Alyn Smith said: “The SNP will be doing its own thing.
“Obviously we’re focused on Holyrood, but we’ll also say why our country has been massively improved by EU membership, with people living, working and studying across Europe.”
It emerged yesterday that one of Scotland’s most respected academics is to help run the Scottish arm of the In campaign, Britain Stronger in Europe.
Professor Mona Siddiqui will chair the advisory group of Scotland Stronger in Europe, with her fellow board members announced this week.
The gender-balanced line-up will not contain any serving politicians, but will include veterans of the independence referendum, from both the Yes and No camps.
Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Inter-religious Studies at Edinburgh University and a member of the Commission on Scottish Devolution, said: “The campaign to show that Scotland is better off in Europe will be positive, factual and people-based, making the case that our quality of life is better and horizons broader by keeping our place in the European Union.”
A TNS poll last week found 44 per cent of Scots want to stay in the EU, against 21 per cent wanting out, but a YouGov poll found that at UK level 45 per cent back Brexit and 36 per cent back In.
However the Out campaign is currently in disarray after feuding between the rival groups vying to be the official Out campaign, Leave.Eu and Vote Leave.
Vote Leave has also been hamstrung by infighting, much involving Dominic Cummings, a former Tory special adviser recently demoted from campaign director.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who was backing Leave.EU, last week switched his support to a third campaign, Grassroots Out, or GO.
Tory MP Tom Pursglove, who helped establish GO, told Radio 4’s yesterday: “One thing is for sure, it's very difficult to herd Eurosceptics.
"People who are in the battle for designation need to sit down, sort this out, thrash it out, because every day that goes by is a missed opportunity to campaign properly."
Previously Eurosceptic, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday said he would push for a “real social Europe”, including stronger workers' rights and less privatisation.
Meanwhile, SNP MP John Nicolson yesterday wrote to the BBC demanding clarity on how it would cover the Holyrood elections if an EU referendum was held in June.
Draft editorial guidelines suggest that if Scottish politicians stray into EU matters during the election, they could be cut off and reminded to stick to the original topic.
Nicolson said that could “undermine open, democratic debate”.
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