EU ESSENTIAL TO EMBED SOCIAL RIGHTS

STURGEON, LUCAS AND WOOD FOCUS ON BENEFITS ON EU MEMBERSHIP

 

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the leader of Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood and Green MP Caroline Lucas have today called on those who share progressive values, believe in the protection of human and social rights and support equality to back membership of the EU in the referendum next month.
Nicola-Sturgeon
Encouraging people to register to vote, in order to protect the benefits of the EU the three leading politicians met in the shadow of the statue to Emmeline Pankhurst at Westminster to issue a joint statement in support of EU membership.

Scotland’s First Minister and SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon said:

“Membership of the European Union has brought us social and economic rights that have made us more prosperous, made our society fairer and have created real opportunities for our young people and our economy.

“The EU delivers benefits that we take for granted every day. For many young people the right to work and to travel in other EU countries is part of their journey into adulthood.

“For parents the rights to maternity and paternity leave now considered normal have been hard won with the help of the EU.

“To leave the EU, would be to take the risk of leaving those hard won rights and opportunities in the hands of a Tory government that simply cannot be trusted, and to isolate the UK at a time when we should be working with other countries to tackle climate change, to address the refugee crisis or to deal with security issues.

“The threats and the fearmongering characterising the debate over EU membership from both sides, must stop.  It is time for an informed debate on the merits of EU membership and the importance for all those of us with progressive values of remaining members of the EU.”
Caroline Lucas MP said:      Caroline Lucas

“Europe matters to all of us, everyday. Not only is our membership of the EU good for our economy but it also protects our hard won rights at work, guards our environment from cross-border pollution and gives us the right to live, study and retire across an entire continent.

“Of course the EU isn’t perfect – but we’re only going to make it more democratic and accountable if we remain a member and fight to make it better.

“The bitter campaign so far – and the myth-fueled attacks orchestrated by Vote Leave – haven’t done justice to the importance of this referendum. Over the course of the next month the Green Party will be working with others in making a positive case for Britain remaining in the EU.”
Leanne Wood AM Plaid Cymru leader said:  Leanne Wood

“Wales is stronger, safer and better off as part of the European Union. More than 20,000 jobs in Wales depend on access to the single market, and thousands of our students benefit from being able to study overseas.

“Because of our membership of the EU, we have laws on equality, the environment, on workers’ and consumer rights, on farming and food quality, laws to tackle climate change and much more. Cross-border cooperation makes us safer and it is important that these ties are protected.

“Plaid Cymru wants Wales to have a stronger voice in a reformed European Union because we know that Wales is better off in, and over the coming weeks we will be presenting our case for a strong and prosperous Wales within a reformed and improved Europe.”

3 Comments

  1. Yes it is easy to make a case for remaining in the EU, but what about the elephant in the room TTIP? In the EU and Cameron signing us up to TTIP will be an even worse scenario than being out of the EU, this is not as straight forward as it first appears

    1. Surely better to be inside and working to make changes. Not sure that being out of Europe and still in UK is a better alternative

      1. Sorry, you have it wrong, Scotland has never had a seat or say in how the EU is run, we do have a few token elected members but no real power that is reserved for Westminster. So tell me again how you will make the changes. Power devolved is power retained, independence is the only real power. Yes I have always been pro-EU but TTIP is not about the EU its about handing all powers over to big business, is that really what you want, for it is guaranteed if we remain in the EU without a seat at the table. remember the pictures, during the Common Fisheries debate, an English Lord at the table, or man sitting behind gagged.

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