Scottish voters want to regain EU rights lost to Brexit as priority, poll shows

And, in what could be uncomfortable reading for Willie Rennie and whoever replaces Richard Leonard, a third of Labour and LibDem voters want their parties to be pushing for EU citizenship rights.

In recent weeks, both Keir Starmer and Ed Davey have made clear they don’t want to take the UK back into Europe.

On behalf of James Kelly’s Scot Goes Pop, Survation asked 1020 people if they thought “it should be a priority for the Scottish Government to regain” rights lost as EU citizens, “such as being able to live and work in any EU country”.

More than half – 52% – said yes, while just 30% said no.

There was a similar level of support for access to the Erasmus programme, which gives university students the opportunity to study in other European countries.

Again, 52% said regaining access should be a priority for the Scottish Government. Only 29% said no.

Finally, the poll asked voters what attitude they thought Labour and the LibDems should take to Scotland’s relationship with the EU.

Forty-four per cent agreed that they should “seek to regain EU citizenship rights for the people of Scotland, on the basis that Scotland voted to remain in the EU”.

And 41% said they should “accept Brexit, on the basis that the UK voted to leave the EU”.

Toni Giugliano, the SNP’s candidate in Dumbarton, said:”Scotland has been dragged out of the EU against its will, and with it has been robbed of the opportunities presented by EU citizens rights and the Erasmus scheme.

“People in Scotland overwhelmingly voted to stay in the EU – and despite being dragged out against our will by a Tory government with no mandate here, Scotland remains a European country with European values.

READ MORE: Poll on Scots' attitudes to Europe makes awkward reading for UK parties

“With Labour and the LibDems both dropping their commitment to rejoining the EU and lining up behind the Tories to support a hard Brexit, the SNP is now the only major party in the UK committed to rejoining the EU and reversing the devastating impact it is already having on businesses – including our vital fishing communities.

“There has already been immense damage done to Scotland and its industries because of Brexit and now the Tories are threatening to rip up our workers rights. It’s clear that Scotland’s future should be as an independent country with a seat at the top table of the European Union.”

Alastair MacColl, the director of eu+me, said Scotland’s MPs and MSPs needed to listen and respond to the results of the poll.

He said: “These results come as no surprise. They confirm that the overwhelming majority of Scots are determined to hold onto the rights, freedoms and protections we’ve enjoyed as Europeans.

“We know that the loss of those rights will affect us all. But our young people in particular, may be robbed of choices and opportunities for a generation unless we make our voices heard.

“We’ll be working with others to make sure politicians and policy-makers listen and respond”.

According to the poll, just 9% of Tory voters wanted to regain EU citizenship rights, compared to 70% of SNP supporters.

That call was backed by 33% of Labour voters, and 33% of LibDem voters.

Last month, shortly before ordering his MPs to back Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, Starmer said there was “no case” for the UK to rejoin the EU.

Earlier this week, LibDem leader Davey said similar.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that the LibDems, while still very pro-European, are “not a rejoin party”.

However, he said the removal of free movement was “illiberal” and the case for its reintroduction should be reopened with the EU.

He said: “We are not a rejoin party, but we are a very pro-European party.

“We believe it is in the interest of the British people, for jobs, small businesses, exporting, Scottish fishermen, for our security and for our police services that we have the closest possible relationship with our European partners, and we’ll be arguing throughout the next few months and years that Britain needs to have a far more pro-European position.”

Asked about the findings of the Survation poll, a Scottish LibDem spokesperson said: “The Liberal Democrats have continually been at the forefront of the fight to keep the UK in the European Union.

“Now we want to ensure that Scotland can retain as many of the benefits of EU membership as possible.

“For example, we are urging Scottish and UK ministers to work together to allow Scottish students to remain part of the Erasmus scheme.”