Vote SNP to stay in the EU, says Sturgeon

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said next Thursday’s European election was a chance to reassert Scotland’s opposition to the UK government’s plan to take the country out of the EU against its will as she launched the SNP’S manifesto for the poll at the Barras in Glasgow.

Pro- European voters who are against Scottish independence should temporarily set aside their fears about breaking up the Union and back the SNP at next week’s election, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister argued that as only a second referendum on independence would decide Scotland’s future in the UK, Unionist voters could safely back the SNP at the European vote. Launching the SNP manifesto Thursday’s poll in Glasgow, she said people should focus on sending the strongest possible pro- Remain message rather than thinking about independence.

However, her party’s manifesto contained eight separate references to an independent Scotland and

listed holding a second referendum as one of its “priorities”.

The document said the party’s three other key aims were to stop Brexit, back a second EU referendum and support revoking Article 50 if a no- deal scenario was “the only alternative”.

It said SNP MEPS would pursue six key policies, including supporting a “Green New Deal” across the EU which would press member states to ramp up action on climate change.

It also promised to defend the rights of European Scots, fight for freedom of movement, argue to keep Scotland’s place in the EU single market, preserve EU funding for education and support the farming and fishing sectors.

Asked how pro- Union Remain voters could possibly back the SNP, Ms Sturgeon said there was “complete transparency” about the party’s position on Scottish independence.

“The issue of Scottish independence will be decided in a referendum. That is the accepted position and that will be the case,” she added. “The people who don’t support independence will have the opportunity to register that opinion when we come to make that choice again.

“This is about Scotland’s right to be heard, it’s about sending a message at this European election about Scotland’s aspirations to remain in the EU.

“The strongest way of sending that message is to vote SNP, whether you are for or against independence.”

Scotland’s pro- Union parties warned voters to treat the SNP leader’s appeal with caution, claiming the party had employed the same tactic before.

Scottish Conservative chief whip Maurice Golden said: “Nicola Sturgeon has a nerve to ask for the backing of people who want Scotland to stay in the UK.

“At every election the SNP pretends a vote for them isn’t a vote for independence, then the second the polls close they do the precise opposite, claiming each one as a proxy vote for independence.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chairman Alex Cole- Hamilton added that any vote for the SNP at the upcoming election would be “twisted” as evidence of rising support for independence.