Meeting of the Parliament 19 December 2018
I welcome this afternoon’s debate, which recognises the value of EU citizens to Scotland and makes it clear that they are welcome here. At this time of continuing indecision, uncertainty and even chaos and conflict in British politics, we must not lose sight of the impact of the political debate on people—people who were born and raised in the UK and those who choose to come here to contribute to our society, invest in our economy and enrich our culture.
The debate is often framed in terms of economic growth, which is an essential part of the contribution that is made by EU citizens. However, we cannot ignore the importance of the diversity that they bring to our culture and our society, and its ability to enrich and enliven our everyday lives.
It is depressing to look back over recent years at some of the reasons why we find ourselves in this fairly desperate situation—facing the possibility of leaving a union in such a way as to make us poorer, less diverse and more isolated in international trade and relationships.
The negative portrayal of migrants in the right-wing media is deplorable, but goes some way towards explaining the support for leaving the EU in areas to which there have been low levels of migration. We have all had conversations on the doorsteps of constituents who are concerned about their jobs and their housing needs, and who tell us that migrants are causing those problems. I always explain as politely as possible that that is not the case—that migrants put more into our society than they take out, and that the problems that they identify are more about the need for investment in our public services and our economy. However, those views still exist.