Todd says voters can send ‘unequivocal message’ on Europe
Regional MSP Maree Todd believes voters can send an “unequivocal message to Theresa May” in the European Parliament election.
The SNP representative was speaking after the party launched its election campaign, saying “Scotland has had enough of being ignored”.
Ms Todd said the 23rd May ballot was the most important European election in Scotland’s history.
She said: “Highlands and Islands voted to remain in the EU, just like every part of Scotland. But we face being dragged out of the EU anyway.
“On May the 23rd by voting SNP, people in Highlands and Islands can send a clear and unequivocal message to Theresa May.
“Scotland has had enough of being ignored. Scotland’s future lies in Europe. A vote for the SNP is a vote to make clear Scotland says no to Brexit.”
John Ridland
Is it just the same as the SNP ignore Shetland ,? until they want our vote of course…!
PS, The 2016 ref was UK wide ,And the result was out…! Nothing about different regions,
VOTE BREXIT.!
Graham Fleming
Two parts of Ireland, the main bit run by the Dail,(the fourth richest country in the world )and wanting to stay in the E.U. and Northern Ireland run like a junta, a subsidised wasteland run by the rogues of Westminster. Is it little wonder the majority ,there too,have seen the light and want to stay in the E.U ,after having a taste for normality and democracy .Scotland has a rare opportunity in the Euro Elections ,to boot the UKIP nonsense out the door ,by voting for the Green party,S.N.P and Labour and making it six for Europe.
ian tinkler
Scotland has a rare opportunity in the Euro Elections ,to boot the UKIP nonsense out the door ,by voting for the Green party,S.N.P and Labour. What a good idea. Spread the remain vote around, that will show them. United we stand!!! Now if you want out of the EU, go for the Brexit Party. UKIP with their Tommy thug is a nonsence, as for May, lets leave that for gathering nuts!!!
Ian Tinkler
Forgive me if I am wrong here but did not the SNP campaign most vigorously during the Independence Campaign to take Scotland out of the United Kingdom and that would have resulted in Scotland no longer being in the European Union. Is this woman being disingenuous or is she just plain stupid? Does she really believe our memories are so short? Just why would anyone follow the SNP? Nicola Sturgeon being investigated under her own Ministerial code for her handling of the Salmond allegations and nothing at all can further legally be said. I think no messages need be said to May from the SNP, perhaps Farage would put the message across with a lot more credibility.
John Tulloch
“Scotland’s future lies in Europe.” LOL. They never stop, do they, no matter how often it’s pointed out that IndyScotland will be automatically out of the EU – with “No Deal” – on the same day that we leave the UK.
This has been officially confirmed to the both the House of Lords and the Scottish Parliament by EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (December 2012) and his deputy Viviane Reding (March 2014), respectively.
It seems the SNP will also “drag Scots out of the EU”, if they get their way with independence.
Brian Smith
I’ve just had a letter from Willie Rennie. He thinks the Scottish elections are on 23 May!
Stuart Hannay
A few things have changed since 2014. The EU was as anti-Scottish independence as it was anti-Brexit.
Peter Hamilton
Ian smears Nicola Sturgeon then claims “nothing further legally can be said” in his latest charm offensive. Apparently the ancient legal maxim innocent-until-proven-guilty doesn’t apply to women he judges “disengenuous or just plain stupid”.
Ian must love his prejudices dearly to flaunt them in such unapologetically intolerant and illiberal clothes. Was he always so delightful?
Ian Tinkler
Boris and Nigel, the UK has leadership at last! What a pair to lead us out. I love being delightful Peter. Weep on.
David Spence
Brexit, in short, is nothing more than the Tories wanting to disconnect the UK from the EU, and connect itself directly to the USA, purely for them (the Tories) to benefit from the privatising of most government responsibilities and duties of care to US companies.
It is, regrettably, as simple as that. Brexit, was nothing to do with the greater good for everybody, but for the few who would benefit…………typical tory policy, ‘ look after number 1, and screw everybody else in the process ‘, political ideology.
Michael Garriock
*If* the Tories intent is to disconnect the UK from the EU and connect it directly to the USA, why is everything the government has put on the table so far and fought hard to sell to the nation as ‘Brexit’, proposals that will KEEP the nation well and truly in the EU in all but name, but on considerably worse terms than our current membership?
David Spence
As far as I am aware Michael, 65% of British businesses deal with the EU. However, this is separate from the business of Government, and its duties to serve the people and the country.
It is well known the Tories would love to privatise most Government’s responsibilities and duties of care to the private sector, where they themselves would benefit. It is also well known, the preferred country outwith the UK, to takeover such responsibilities to be the USA.
Yes, the Government has a partial responsibility to acknowledge a large part of British business deals with the EU………as said though, international business and Government responsibility are two separate issues. The Government would prefer private business to take over their duties and respnsibilities no matter how you paint the picture.
Graham Fleming
Less and less businesses are doing transactions in the British state,with the isolationists causing a £62 billion net outflow of over £800 billion of assets to be shifted because of brexit , – before it even commences.The main winners have been Luxembourg and Dublin,a factor maybe in why Ireland is progressing towards being the third wealthiest nation by 2022.The separatists loss and Europe’s gain.
Michael Garriock
@ David Spence.
Just about every so-called Brexit ‘deal’ put in front of parliament by the current Tories has included some element of a customs union with the EU. *If* the Tories intent is to detach from the EU and attach to the USA, the quickest, easiest and simplest method would be a ‘no deal’ Brexit, which is something they seem intent on committing electoral suicide to avoid considering.
The evidence doesn’t support your claim that the Tories want to detach from the EU and attach to the USA, as anything less than a ‘no deal’ Brexit makes such a transition more difficult to establish and sustain.
What evidence is there that the Government wants ‘private business to take over their duties and responsibilities’, and what’s wrong with it if they are? Private business left to market forces but subject to an effective statutory regulatory framework, is far more capable of providing a VFM service than any Government.
Even if it doesn’t work, its only for a max of 5 years, then we vote in someone else to change it. There is no need to fear change not cast in tablets of stone.
Peter Hamilton
In fairness Ian has also previously judged Alex Salmond guilty before the facts, but still, theres evidence of something else in his earlier attack.
Ian asked: “Is this woman being disingenuous or is she just plain stupid?” He could instead have asked if “Nicola Sturgeon”, or “the First Minister” or even if “she” was being disingenuous or just plain stupid. Instead Ian opted to emphasise her gender by starting with “this woman”. Five words later Ian added an otherwise redundant “she”, lest readers had forgotten his target wasn’t male.
This from the same Ian who is fond of saying gender is not an issue. Doth Ian protest too much?
Ian made his smear more effective by offering a choice between two negatives in his rhetorical “or” question. The First Minister can only be a liar or an idiot. Neat trick! So was Ian being bigoted or merely mean and nasty? All three possibly.
More fair-minded folk than Ian wouldn’t judge on the discourse analysis of one sentence alone. Ian mightn’t have purposefully considered each word in advance. But isn’t unwitting misogyny misogyny nonetheless?
Happily for Ian, he appears to enjoy loathing indiscriminately, with one notable far-right exception. All hail Farage!
Ian Tinkler
Have you told Qatar, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Hong Kong SAR and Norway that Graham? They are all outside the EU, wealthier than Ireland and guess what outside the UU we can trade with all of them on our own terms! As well as every other nation on the planet!!!!!
Ian Tinkler
How very profound Peter and so what? What exactly are you trying to say? Regarding Farage please read and try and understand:
“May 19th, 2019 10:00
Contrary to the popular myth, The Brexit Party is not just Farage. It is far more than one man, 100,000 plus folk at the last count. There is plenty about Farage which I do not necessarily like, but there is a load more I dislike about some of the other leaders of political parties! What I would commend Farage for is his extraordinary leadership skills and single-mindedness. Like him or loathe him, he will get us out of the EU. Free up our fishing fleet, cut the red tape from our harassed farmers/crofters and hopefully, free us of the grant led society we are becoming!
Enough said, if you want real change and loath Farage, hold your nose and vote Brexit Party. If you want real influence, join the Brexit Party and help create its policies. If you want to join the herd vote liberal or green et al!
David Spence
We hear a lot about Farage, and his obsessive desire to take us out of the EU, despite the fact 65% of UK business is with the EU. How is he going to resolve this issue…..with tariffs…..which will make the cost of living for everybody in the UK much higher.
Farage is out for himself, and he cares not about the majority of people.
It has also been quite obvious his only and one agenda is to get the UK out of the EU. He cares not of the damaging consequences to British industry, he cares not about the NHS (apart from privatising it) he cares not about the impact his backward policies (although he has been very quiet on such issues) may have on people as long as he is alright.
Farage, is nothing more than an opportunist living the life of Rilley, knowing fine well he will get nowhere once people begin to see how empty he really is as a politician.
He is a vulture feeding off his own ego to better himself and not the country.
Michael Garriock
Farage is being used by Brexit supporters. Whether he realises that or not is his own funeral.
Once a proper Brexit is finally achieved, his usefulness, and day, will be over. He’ll just be one more has been whose had their 15 mins and disappeared in to oblivion. He’s a one trick pony, he, and his party have nothing to offer other than a means to an end to help achieve Brexit.
So what if 65% of UK business is currently with the EU? *if* we were free to trade with both the EU and the rest of the world on similarly favourable terms, would 65% of UK business still be with the EU because it was the best deal and products/services in the end? I suspect very much not.
We currently have no choice but trade with the EU and the rest of the world strictly on the EU’s terms, which may, or may not be in the UK’s interest. Its that restriction and control from outside we want rid of and what Brexit is all about, so that the UK can have the best deal with everybody, and not just with at most 20+ continentals.
ian tinkler
This Vulture seems to be cra&*ng all over “the remainers” and “the estaplishment”!!! Maybe just providence but I can not help thinking “Cometh the man, cometh the hour”. It may all be just a flash in the pan but what a kick in the b^&*s for socialists and the sheep that follow.
Haydn Gear
Apart from all that David, I assume you think he’s a thoroughly decent bloke cast in the same essential mould as most other politicians . As we all know, they are not in it for themselves but for the good of Brittania. Really ??
David Spence
Do I detect a smiggen of sarcasm, Haydn. ? lol Silly me for thinking such words about them…….of course all politicians are upstanding citizens of the highest standards of decorum. lol
Peter Hamilton
No Michael, the snake oil salesman created the market for his cure-all product for a reason. He is a user and his agenda and power won’t stop with Brexit.
Brexit is the thin end of his wedge. Once it is fully in the door he will leverage in U.S. market solutions to non-existent problems – privatise NHS, legitimise hand-guns and relax environmental controls on companies that want to exacerbate global warming unchecked. Bye-bye social security, bye-bye workers rights and hello American levels of annual leave.
Brexit was the cure-all for immigration which he exploited in racist terms and hasn’t apologised for. Now it is the cure-all for a crisis in democracy created by… Nigel Farage and his feather bedded friends. They have sought power by populist means irrespective of the harm done – thousands of additional racist assaults, voters believing in simple solutions to complex issues and communities that were growing together being split apart. Farage’s agenda is vile, vile, vile.
Michael Garriock
@ Peter Hamilton.
Fact check. The election tomorrow is to elect MEPs to the EU Parliament, Farage and his ilk are standing to become MEP’s. Domestic issues are irrelevant to the equation, we are voting on our relationship with the EU. It is not a General Election where domestic issues ARE relevant, although the main political parties seem ignorant of all this given the contents of their election material.
Would the current support for Farage & Co. be as high were this a General Election, I very much doubt it. Most people have enough intelligence and common sense to vote according to the requirements of the position being filled, and Farage & Co. have nothing to offer on a domestic level.
Its rather patronising and insulting to suggest that all folk supporting the Brexit party in the EU election have somehow been led up the garden path by sound bite politics in biased media. Farage could be replaced by a blow up dummy with a recorded message attached to it, and it would make little difference, the vote is to support the principle of Brexit, and not much of anything to do with a somewhat unlikeable little man.
Mr ian Tinkler
Fantastic, even the French agree; “I consider that the British people decided to leave the European Union and the faster Britain leaves the better,” Le Maire told reporters. and the faster Britain leaves the better,” Le Maire told reporters. NB: “I consider that the British people decided to leave the European Union”. No wonder the SNP are so bitching. Vivre France.
John Tulloch
The SNP’s Brexit policy is a hypocritical charade.
They ‘ken fine’ weel’ IndyScotland will not be in the EU, that adopting the euro is an entry condition and that we shall be unable to satisfy the EU’s economic rules for many years:
1. EU Commission deputy president Viviane Reding confirmed to the Scottish Parliament on 10 March 2014 that independent Scotland would automatically leave the EU, with “No Deal”.
2. Our budget deficit and national debt are almost double EU limits and it will take many years of withering austerity to align with the rules.
3. In the extremely unlikely event that we were allowed to stay in, EU rules will still apply, so austerity is unavoidable.
4. Most Scots will never vote for such an independence prospectus so the policy will have to change before Indyref2.
5. The alternative of Norway-style EFTA membership is available, giving access to the single market, the “four freedoms” while retaining control of our currency, fisheries, agriculture and economic/trade arrangements.
Yet they insist the rest of the UK must stay in the EU, “against their democratic wishes”.
Humbug!
Stuart Hannay
My favourite picture of ‘anti-establishment’ man of the people Nigel Farage is him standing in a golden lift with yet another ‘anti-establishment’ billionaire. I wonder if Nigel is making a trip to Scunny this afternoon to commiserate? Does anyone else remember the XTC song “We’re only making plans for Nigel, he has his future in British Steel”?
Peter Hamilton
I wonder what this “principle of Brexit” is Michael? Something that exists and can be considered apart from Boris, Farage, Rees-Mogg and their lies and dodgy backers?
There is no principle behind lying about more money for the NHS and whipping up racism.
“Taking back control” is a thirst they’ve created, them and the years of nonsense about bent cucumbers in the Daily Mail and Express.
There is no sovereignty as an absolute in this multi-polar troubled world. International cooperation is key to domestic and international security, environmental protection etc. Sovereignty is an illusion they have conjured to let the far right take back control.
It is not mere “populism” that moderate Tories, the centre and most of the left are up against. It is a reworking of something far more sinister. Something that has appealed to base instincts in similar ways in times of economic turmoil before.
It is not patronising to shine a spotlight at this. It is necessary. Strengthening their hands can’t be wise.