THE campaign to take Britain out of the EU should not be compared with the SNP's push for independence, Scotland's new minister for Europe has said.
Alasdair Allan claimed the Leave campaign in the EU referendum debate had "explained nothing" about arrangements that would follow Brexit.
He contrasted the lack detail with the SNP's blueprint for independence, the lengthy White Paper Scotland's Future, that was published ahead of the 2014 referendum.
Mr Allan dismissed comparisons between the two campaigns as he called on MSPs from across the parties to back Britain's membership of the EU in a Holyrood vote today.
In an interview with The Herald, he said: "During the independence referendum there was pressure on the Scottish Government to explain in great detail its proposals.
"What is really concerning about the Leave campaign is that there is no clear explanation."
Hitting back at claims that Holyrood would manage agriculture policy better than Brussels in the event of Brexit, he said said the Leave campaign had failed to explain how the EU's farm subsidy system would be replicated.
MSPs are expected to vote overwhelmingly in favour of staying in the EU at the end of a set-piece Holyrood debate today.
The vote is symbolic but Remain campaigners believe the cross party consensus will send a powerful message to voters ahead of the June 23 referendum.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:
"There are only 28 days until the polls open for the EU referendum and although opinion polls show strong support among the people of Scotland to stay in the EU, there is no room at all for complacency.
"There are so many ways in which the EU benefits us in our everyday lives, that it is easy to forget where these benefits originated from and over the next four weeks, we must speak up and speak out about these benefits.
"I am asking Parliament to unite behind a clear, unequivocal statement that, whatever our political backgrounds, we believe Scotland and the UK should stay part of the European Union."
Writing in The Herald, Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, today outlines her reasons for supporting the UK's membership of the EU.
Criticising the campaign so far, she adds: "The debate thus far has been dominated by the tiresome pantomime of two Bullingdon Boys battling over the Tory leadership, meanwhile Nicola Sturgeon, a politician of huge influence in this debate, only intervenes to criticise her own side.
"This is a huge question about the future of our country. There are four weeks left. It’s time for politicians on all sides to up their game."
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