Scottish Greens to push for People’s Vote at event in Glasgow

The only credible options for ending the Brexit deadlock are to hold another EU referendum or to revoke Article 50, according to the Scottish Greens.

The party’s co-conveners Patrick Harvie and Maggie Chapman will address a meeting of EU nationals and Green supporters in Glasgow on Friday.

At the event they will say that Brexit has been a failure of UK democracy.

Mr Harvie and Ms Chapman will also suggest Brexit risks handing power to the hard right.

MSPs backed a motion put forward by the party on Wednesday, which called for an extension to Article 50 in order so a People’s Vote can be held.

“Greens have always stood for an open and tolerant society with social and environmental justice at its heart,” Ms Chapman will say.

“The Tory Brexit we are being offered is exactly the opposite of this.

“It is based on a desire to profiteer through flogging off the NHS and our education system, and it cynically sacrifices the rights of our friends and neighbours – Scots by choice – who have come to this country from the EU to achieve that.”

She will add: “There is no good outcome from any of the Brexit options available to us.

“Each one undermines democracy, the economy and our future.

“And we know that the racists and free-marketeers who want to drive us off a cliff are not going away.

“We need to learn the lessons from David Cameron’s hopeless 2016 Remain campaign and build a vision of a better Scotland in a better Europe – one that can deal with the environmental and economic crises we face.”

Mr Harvie will tell those in attendance at the event that MPs must agree to put the Brexit decision back to the public.

“Westminster is utterly deadlocked and not even the Prime Minister sacrificing herself to appease the Brexit ultras is enough to get them to back her dead deal,” Mr Harvie will say.

“At the same time, momentum behind a People’s Vote – which has won more support from MPs than Mrs May’s deal has in two attempts – and revoking Article 50 continues to grow.

“MPs must now realise this is the only way out of the spiralling chaos they are in.”

He will add: “It’s also clear that the case for Scotland to forge its own path is growing by the day.

“Scotland’s Remain vote and the Scottish Parliament’s efforts to reach out have been shown contempt at every turn since the Brexit vote nearly three years ago.

“The First Minister has said she will set out the timing for a second Scottish independence referendum once the fog of Brexit is lifting.

“We agree that some clarity over our EU future is needed but it’s also clear now that the monumental disrespect that Scotland has been shown is reason enough to push on for independence.

“Surely no-one can now argue that Scotland’s interests are best served by a broken Westminster system and a Tory party which will forever be held to ransom by its unicorn-chasing hard right rump.”