Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2015
I welcome the debate as it gives me the chance to dispel the myths and scaremongering that are coming from members on the Government benches about Scotland’s membership of the European Union.
The debate also gives me the opportunity to once again reaffirm the commitment of Conservatives to making the EU work in the best interests of Scotland and the wider UK. That is the whole point—this club has to work for its members. That will only be achievable by reforming the EU through renegotiation with our European partners to create a new, favourable settlement for the UK and for the rest of Europe—to cut out red tape and excessive baggage for everyone, including new entrants, and to encourage growth and an end to stagnation.
When the Conservatives win the forthcoming general election with an overall majority and David Cameron is returned to Downing Street, we can begin the process of bringing about that necessary change. It has always been a cast-iron guarantee of the UK Government to then put to the British people a simple question—“Do you wish to stay in the EU on the basis of a reformed EU or do you not?” That referendum is likely to happen in late 2017.
If Conservative ministers achieve those reforms and transform the EU and the UK’s relationship with it, David Cameron has stated that he will campaign for the UK to remain a member state. As a committed European myself, I will be joining the Prime Minister in that pro-EU campaign, but only if reform in the interests of Scotland and the UK has been delivered. Let us dispel SNP myth one: the majority of Conservatives north and south of the border are not anti-European; we simply want change in Europe, as do the British people. I am sure that the minister will accept that.
It is not only the UK that wants to see change. Countries across the EU, including Angela Merkel’s Germany and the Netherlands, have argued that the EU in its present form is too centralist and is not working for member states. Indeed, the Dutch phrase, “European where necessary, national where possible,” shows the shift away from ever closer union. That phrase comes from one of the original six countries, which was originally so federalist, so another SNP myth that it is only the UK Government that sees EU reform as a priority is dismissed as well.