THE Scottish Greens are to appoint an adviser on European relations to help the party mount its independence campaign in the event of a second referendum being called.
Molly Scott Cato, an MEP, whose South West England constituency includes Remain-voting Gibraltar, will take up the post next Saturday, at the Scottish Green spring conference in Glasgow.
Scott Cato, a “Green Economics” professor has expertise in the issues of renewable energy; trade; food and farming; and co-operatives.
Her work for the Scottish Greens will focus on making a case for how an independent Scotland could be an influential member of the EU.
She is also to advise the government of Gibraltar, which like Scotland overwhelmingly voted Remain in last year's referendum, on how to retain its links to the EU after Brexit.
Scott Cato said: “I accept that the time will likely come when I will be the last Green MEP for South West of England. In that remaining time, I’m going to do everything I possibly can to support the chief minister of Gibraltar in his government’s efforts to find ‘geographically sensible arrangements’ for the territory to maintain close European ties and to safeguard border flow.
“Just as it would be wrong for the Westminster government to ignore the mandate given by the people of Gibraltar, where 96 per cent voted to remain, I firmly believe that Theresa May must also show a greater degree of flexibility towards Scotland and respond to the Scottish Government’s compromise proposals before triggering Article 50.
She added: "I have to admit that I’m envious of that and I wish Scotland every success in staying part of Europe. Scotland was told in 2014 that it should ‘lead’ the UK, rather than ‘leave’ it.
"Now is the time to demonstrate that leadership by showing the other nations of the United Kingdom that another Europe is still very much possible.”
Scottish Green co-convenor Maggie Chapman, welcoming the appointment, said: “We want to be at the forefront of any independence campaign and it’s therefore essential that the Greens have a top team of advisors available to assist in complex constitutional and economic matters, particularly as they relate the European Union.
"Molly’s experience and her extensive knowledge of European relations and economics will be invaluable to us. She will help us make the strongest case possible for keeping Scotland in Europe, in line with how we voted last June.”
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