Scottish campaign calling for People’s Vote on Brexit to launch

A Scottish campaign calling for people across the UK to have the final say on Brexit will be launched at an event in Edinburgh on Thursday.

There have been cross-party calls for a so-called People’s Vote before the UK formally departs the European Union in March 2019.

Scotland voted by 62% to remain in the EU when the referendum was held in June 2016.

Hundreds of campaigners attended a rally in Scotland’s capital in August to call for the UK Government’s eventual Brexit deal to be put before the country.

The event in Edinburgh, organised by the Scotland for a People’s Vote campaign group, will feature speakers including Dr Kirsty Hughes, the director of the Scottish Centre on European Relations and John Edward, the former head of the European Parliament Office in Scotland.

It will be chaired by Mark Lazarowicz, the incoming chair of the European Movement in Scotland.

A similar event was organised in London earlier this month, with an estimated 700,000 people in attendance.

A message from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was broadcast in Parliament Square, where she said: “Let me say this loudly and clearly, if the issue comes before the House of Commons, SNP MPs will support a People’s Vote which includes the option to remain in the EU.”