Scottish Greens gain solidarity and support of MEP for the South West England for Independence
MOLLY SCOTT CATO, the MEP whose South West England constituency includes Remain-voting Gibraltar, became the first Member of the European Parliament from south of the border to publicly back Scottish independence.
Speaking to the Scottish party conference, in Glasgow today (Saturday 11 March), the economics professor said she was entirely committed to defending the territorial integrity of Gibraltar which she said “the Tories have put at risk.”
She also commented that the only way to “protect Scotland” was to ensure it was not dragged out of the EU against its will but achieved its independence.
“I wish you good luck on that journey and will do all I can to support you!” Molly Scott Cato
Scott Cato said: “As MEP for South West England I represent Gibraltar which had an 85 per cent turnout and voted 96 per cent to Remain. This is no surprise when you look back at the history of territorial threats to that small but deeply symbolic rock from Spain. The Brexit vote has left Gibraltar very vulnerable. I will do my best to defend their territorial integrity, put at risk by the Tories.
“So, how can we protect Scotland against what is, essentially, an English delusion? I think we know the answer to that: by ensuring that Scotland does not get dragged into another destructive English adventure. And that means by ensuring that by the end of the Brexit process Scotland is an independent member of the European Union.
“I wish you good luck on that journey and will do all I can to support you!”
With these comments Cato has become the first English MEP to support Scottish Independence in a public statement or forum. The comments follow several comments by prominent european greens such as Ska Keller, a German MEP, who also made her position clear late last year on the issue of independence, pledging full support.
“People know that they can’t avoid their taxes but that the rich and powerful can and do.” Molly Scott Cato
Commenting on another theme of the Scottish Green party conference, Cato spoke about the necessity of a European collective position on climate change and tax. She emphasised that such a continental union was vital to ensuring nations could tackle corporate abuse and tax evasion or avoidance.
On the need for European cooperation on climate change, Molly said: “Another example of where we need international cooperation is the issue that takes up most of my time in the European Parliament, tax. Who would have thought tax could be such a sexy issue?
“Although I suppose we should have suspected as much when Richard Murphy published his book The Joy of Tax. It is an issue which gets an immediate response on the doorstep in a way unusual for economic issues. People know that they can’t avoid their taxes but that the rich and powerful can and do. The sense of tax only being paid the little people is palpable and enraging.”
Picture courtesy of Malvern Hills Green Party
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