Over 100 attend‘people’s vote’rally
Residents from Stirling and beyond were at the Smith Art Gallery and Museum this Saturday to voice their support in securing a people’s vote on the final Brexit deal. A vote which would include an option to remain in the EU.
The rally, which attracted over 100 people, was organised by the recently established Stirling4Europe and supported by the European Movement in Scotland.
Gatherings from Fife and Perth showed their solidarity as they joined others in the museum’s grounds.
There were also visitors from Inverness who sought advice on how they could set up a pressure group in the Highlands.
John Izod, one of the organisers said:“It was a very good turn out, especially as it was the first event like this we have done.
“The level of discussion was excellent and everyone got involved.”
Speakers on the day included Alyn Smith MEP SNP, Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for North East Fife, Malcolm Macleod, a consultant neurologist at Forth Valley Hospital, Mark Ruskell MSP Greens and Catherine Stihler MEP Labour. Also there was Mark Lazarowicz of the European Movement in Scotland.
All the talks stressed the importance for voters to have the chance to express their views on any deal, or on no deal, that the Government might bring back from Brussels.
Alyn Smith made the case for using purposeful and focused anger to defy the Brexiteers while Malcolm Macleod spoke of the crisis of recruitment into the NHS at Forth Valley,
Mr Macleod also listed EU scientific projects and medical innovations from which Britain will be excluded if Brexit goes ahead.
Slovenian Alenka Jelen-Sanchez, a senior lecturer in public relations at Stirling University, spoke of her sense of betrayal as she finds herself now stripped of many rights that should be hers as a European citizen.
Meanwhile, Liam McCabe, president of the National Union of Students, focussed his speech on the anger of young Scots who had had no vote at the 2016 referendum and face having to live with what they see is the wreckage left to them by an older generation.
The rally closed with everyone joining in the Proclaimers’song 500 Miles which was led by singer Mary Taylor and had Kenny Higgins on guitar.
Pro-Brexit group Scots For Leave has also been formed in Stirling as debate about the outcome of the EC referendum continues to rage.
Their spokesman Tom Burns told the Observer last week moves to reverse the EC referendum result “must be resisted”.