Linda Fabiani

In a week’s time, East Kilbriders will be going to the polls again, this time to vote in the EU Referendum: should the UK leave or should we vote to remain in the European Union?

I know that many people feel confused by the ongoing arguments from both sides - claims made, shot down in flames, overwhelming negativity, narrow focus.

For myself, I am sickened by the emphasis on immigration by prominent ‘Leave’ campaigners - people who should know better, but who appear to have no compunction about sowing seeds of division in our communities.

We in the SNP recognise the other side to these arguments - the great value that those EU nationals who come to live and work in Scotland add to our cities, towns and rural areas; to our NHS, to our businesses and our high streets; to our culture.

Free movement isn’t only about those who chose to come and live here in the UK, our people have the right now to work and study across the continent.

The EU has created opportunities for two million UK citizens who have chosen to live and work in other EU countries.

EU membership protects a number of hard fought for workers’ rights, including the right not to be discriminated against on the basis of gender, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation or on the basis of race or ethnicity; the right to 14 weeks maternity leave with at least statutory sick pay and the right to paid holidays.

EU membership brings real benefits to Scotland’s economy too: Over 300,000 Scottish jobs were estimated by the Centre for Economic and Business Research to be directly and indirectly associated with exports to the EU in 2011.

The EU is the top destination for Scottish exports, receiving 42 per cent of Scotland’s International exports in 2014, worth more than £11 billion.

It’s not just big corporations and large companies who are worried about a UK exit from the European Union.

For every large exporter there are many small and medium companies and suppliers, in towns like East Kilbride, which receive access to finance and structural support and have concerns that their business will be damaged.

Between 2007 and 2013, European Structural Funds supported 30,000 new jobs and improved skills for 135,000 people.

Improvement works on the M8, M73 and M74 motorway network were undertaken with £174 million of European cash.

EU funding helps farming in remote and rural areas in Scotland to be sustainable.

Very often we only hear negative stories about European regulations, the positive stories like the recent cutting of mobile phone roaming charges for calls and texts don’t seem to be much reported.

Just last week, the European Commission strengthened protections for the thousands of Scots holidaying in countries within the European Union; compensation in the event of delays, missed connecting flights or in extraordinary circumstances.

The EU’s Air Passenger Rights legislation is among the most advanced in the world, offering a high degree of protection against unforeseen circumstances to people travelling by plane to and from the member countries.

I believe that EU membership brings real benefits to people in Scotland. Our membership supports jobs, investment, exports, collective security and so many of the social and employment protections we often take for granted.

The SNP wants Scotland to be an independent nation, within the EU, along with all the other independent nations that have worked together to achieve peace and stability over decades. Until that day comes, we feel it is in the best interests of Scotland, and the other nations that share our islands, to remain part of the European Union.

I hope that voters in East Kilbride agree and will vote ‘remain’ on 23rd June.

Created opportunities for two million UK citizens who have chosen to live and work in other EU countries . . .