I am campaigning for Britain to remain within the European Union as I take the view that it is in Scotland’s interest for the UK to remain part of the EU.
Labour has set out why it is campaigning for a remain vote with the key arguments listed below;
Britain is better off in Europe. It brings us jobs, growth and investment, protects British workers and consumers and helps keep us safe. Leaving would put that at risk and diminish Britain’s influence in the world.
Britain’s EU membership supports jobs, investment and growth and makes us better off.
Over three million British jobs are linked to our trade with the EU.
The EU is by far the UK’s largest trading partner and the world’s largest single market.
Half of our exports go to EU countries, worth over £220 billion a year to the UK economy, and over 200,000 British companies export to the EU.
We receive an average of £24 billion of investment every year from other EU countries, the equivalent of £66m per day.
The average family saves around £450 a year due to lower prices because of our access to the largest single market in the world.
If we leave, Britain will still have to follow the EU’s rules if we want to do business there – we just won’t have any say in making the rules.
Britain’s EU membership protects workers, consumers and the environment
Being in the EU gives working people vital protections such as paid holiday, maternity and paternity leave, protection for agency workers and health and safety in the workplace.
British shoppers are better protected than ever thanks to EU consumer protection.
Being in Europe helps keep costs down on everything from passenger air fares to mobile phone roaming charges.
Our EU membership makes us better able to tackle climate change, as well as raising the environmental standards of Britain’s beaches, and improving air quality.
If we leave, British workers could lose protections secured in EU law, because this or any future
Tory government would be free to launch an assault on rights at work.
Jeremy Corbyn has also set out his views on why it is in the interest of the UK to remain and work from within the UK. He said;
“We have a distinct agenda — a vision to make Britain better and fairer for everyone, by engaging with our neighbours in Europe. I wanted to share this message with you, and I hope you’ll vote to Remain on 23 June.
“One of the most important things I spoke about this morning was simply this — your rights at work.
“Through the social chapter and other directives, Europe has delivered us:
- Over 26 million workers in Britain benefit from being entitled to 28 days of paid leave and a limit to how many hours they can be forced to work;
- Over eight million part-time workers (over six million of whom are women) have equal rights with full-time colleagues;
- Over one million temporary workers have the same rights as permanent workers;
- 340,000 women every year have guaranteed rights to take maternity leave.
“We can’t rely on the Tory Government to defend workplace rights. Leave supporters have stated they want to water down workers’ rights and rip up protections against discrimination, exploitation and injustice. The next Labour government will work with our allies to strengthen workers’ rights, and stop migrant workers being exploited and local workers being undercut.
“We are overwhelmingly for remain, because we believe the European Union has brought investment, jobs and protection for workers, consumers and the environment.
“But also because our membership offers a crucial route to meeting the challenges we face in the 21st century, on climate change, on restraining the power of global corporations and ensuring they pay fair taxes, on tackling cyber-crime and terrorism, on ensuring trade is fair with protections for workers and consumers and in addressing refugee movements.
“Britain will be stronger if we co-operate with our neighbours in facing those challenges together”.
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