Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP have pledged to keep Scotland in the European Union, last week launching an anti-Brexit manifesto ahead of the European parliamentary elections of May 23. The Scottish First Minister however was reminded on Sunday large numbers of Scots had voted in favour of Brexit as a member of the BBC Debate Night audience warned the SNP voters felt they are being “talked down.” The audience member said: “A million people in Scotland voted for Brexit during the referendum, which is more than voted for the SNP in the last general election.

“I understand the result isn’t what it seems but there is a strong feeling in Scotland. People in Scotland do want Brexit.

“When I hear the argument about hard or soft Brexit, I’m sorry but when we voted for it, we knew – we had our own reasons but we knew what we voted for. You are talking us down by saying we don’t want a hard Brexit.”

In her electoral manifesto, Ms Sturgeon insisted voters would send “a message that we will not accept a Brexit process that silences Scotland” by voting the SNP.

The furious comments from the BBC audience member were in response to claims from SNP MP Tommy Sheppard, who suggested voters across the UK “were lied to on an industrial scale” in the run-up to the EU referendum of 2016.

LISTEN HERE: Latest Brexit news from the Express.co.uk Final Countdown podcast

Mr Sheppard said: “A of people are rethinking this. I don’t say for one-minute people were wrong for voting the way they voted in 2016, that they were stupid, that they didn’t know what they voted for. Not at all.

“I do say they were lied to on an industrial scale and now that is clear what the consequences of Brexit actually mean, people know there is no form of Brexit which is actually better for everyday life, then remaining in the European Union.

“We should also remember people in Scotland have a distinctive view on this. In this city, 70 percent of people voted to remain and that was after most teenage voters and EU nationals were not allowed to vote.”

Nicola Sturgeon last month confirmed plans to follow up 2014’s independence vote with another.

Ms Sturgeon argued Brexit would have such a major impact on the people of Scotland that they must be given the chance to leave the UK after Brexit.

Opinion on Scottish independence has varied since the first vote was held in 2014, with the latest YouGov poll carried out between April 24 and April 25 showing the Yes and No camps neck and neck at 49 percent and 51 percent respectively.

Ms Sturgeon announced she intends to hold another Scottish independence referendum before May 2021.

She said: “As voters go to the polls for the European elections on May 23, our message will be clear and direct. And unlike Labour’s, it will be unambiguous.

“Scotland’s not for Brexit, Scotland’s for Europe.”

But Ms Sturgeon’s plans for independence, which include proposals to ditch the pound, were branded a “sham” after the First Minister was unable to name all her party’s tests for a new currency.

The SNP leader made her gaffe when put on the spot about scrapping sterling in an independent Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon also conceded there were “concerns” over a switch and appeared to play down the prospect of a rapid transition.

Source: Read Full Article