THE “threats and fearmongering” from both sides in the EU debate must stop, Nicola Sturgeon has said as the First Minister called on people to vote Remain to protect hard-won social rights in Europe.
The SNP leader joined Leanne Wood, the leader of Plaid Cymru and Caroline Lucas, the Green MP, to call on “those who share progressive values, believe in the protection of human and social rights and support equality to back membership of the EU in the referendum next month”.
Encouraging people to register to vote to protect the benefits of the EU, the three leading politicians met in the shadow of the statue to Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the suffragette movement, at Westminster to issue a joint statement in support of EU membership.
Read more: Europe to be "front and centre" for SNP, says Sturgeon
Ms Sturgeon said: “The threats and the fearmongering characterising the debate over EU membership from both sides, must stop. It is time for an informed debate on the merits of EU membership and the importance for all those of us with progressive values of remaining members of the EU.”
She stressed how Britain’s EU membership had brought the country social and economic rights that had “made us more prosperous, made our society fairer and have created real opportunities for our young people and our economy”.
The FM went on: “The EU delivers benefits that we take for granted every day. For many young people the right to work and to travel in other EU countries is part of their journey into adulthood.
“For parents the rights to maternity and paternity leave now considered normal have been hard won with the help of the EU.”
Read more: Sturgeon will take fight to stay in Europe to English voters
Ms Sturgeon added: “To leave the EU, would be to take the risk of leaving those hard won rights and opportunities in the hands of a Tory government that simply cannot be trusted, and to isolate the UK at a time when we should be working with other countries to tackle climate change, to address the refugee crisis or to deal with security issues.”
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