GRAY: There is disbelief but we continue to fight for Scotland

SNP politicians say their party will now be working to put forward Scotland’s viewpoint after a Remain win north of the border.

Airdrie & Shotts MP Neil Gray returned to Westminster on Monday as the fallout of the Brexit vote continued.

He said: “Everybody is looking at each other in disbelief.

“The result is very sad. We’re now in a very divided UK with a very different view of our place in the world from that of our nearest neighbours, and I’m very sorry about it.”

Writing in his Advertiser column today, he called the successful campaign south of the border “right wing, anti-immigration, xenophobic and regressive – roundly rejected in Scotland”.

Mr Gray said of this week’s developments: “There’s a leadership vacuum. The Prime Minister rightly resigned as he staked his career on this referendum.

“Chancellor George Osborne made a statement which was supposed to shore up the economy, but the value of the pound is at a 31-year low. Every statement is having an impact in a volatile situation.

“When the strongest possible opposition is needed, Labour is looking inward — the only leadership being shown is by Nicola Sturgeon.”

Fulton MacGregor, the Coatbridge & Chryston MSP, called the referendum result “deeply disappointing” but echoed the First Minister’s extended welcome to EU nationals living in the area.

He said: “We had a strong Remain vote in North Lanarkshire but the overall result clearly demonstrates that Scotland voted much differently from the rest of the UK.

“The Scottish Parliament will look at it over the coming weeks and months to protect business interests and respect how the Scottish people voted. There’s a huge constitutional question raised again.

“The national campaign was very negative. We tried to promote the case of remaining in the EU and not getting dragged into that — and it’s significant that the result in Scotland came after a campaign that was positive.”

Mr MacGregor added: “I want to tell the citizens of other EU countries living in Coatbridge & Chryston that you remain welcome here, Scotland is your home and your contribution is valued.”

Alex Neil, the Airdrie & Shotts MSP, said: “The fact that Scotland voted Remain and the rest of the UK voted for Brexit raises the issue of Scotland’s future.

“I certainly think this a different set of circumstances than what we voted on in 2014 and we need to look at the possibility of another independence referendum.

“There are major implications for Scotland and constitutional powers should be transferred to the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum if and when it decides to do so.”

He said of the Brexit process: “It’s going to be long and intricate, and it’s very difficult to predict the outcome. Any changes are likely to take a number of years.

“We’ve got to ensure the Scottish Government is allowed a place as a full partner in discussions with Europe and have to press for a general trading agreement, such as Norway’s free-trade agreement with the EU.”

Mr Neil added: “I think David Cameron ran Project Fear and it backfired and rebounded on him. Remain should have run a much more positive campaign.

“The Scottish dimension didn’t get the attention it deserved. All the leaders and parties here were on one side and I think that squeezed it from the networks for blue-on-blue debates within the Tories.

Richard Leonard, the Central Scotland Labour MSP, spoke out about the business impact following the referendum result and now wants to hear the views of local firms.

Mr Leonard campaigned for a Remain vote and said: “I’m keen to hear from local trade unions and businesses — we need to know what action to take to safeguard jobs and economic development in the wake of the decision.

“I have already spoken to Scottish Enterprise, but with an economy already teetering on recession I am concerned that this does not push the local economy into a slump.”