The East Lothian group of the pro-United Kingdom Better Together campaign got off to a hugely successful start with a well-attended official launch event at the Haddington Town House on Thursday, 23rd May.
Well over 100 people from across the county were present to listen to a cross-party panel of speakers debate some of the big issues that have so far dominated the referendum campaign.
The meeting was chaired by Bruce Turner, Managing Director of PureMalt in Haddington. He gave a brief introduction to the campaign before handing over to the speakers who included Labour’s Fiona O’Donnell MP, Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser and Jim Hume MSP for the Liberal Democrats. Local Labour MSP Iain Gray and Tory councillor Michael Veitch also sat on the panel.
Following short introductory remarks from the speakers outlining the reasons why they and their political parties are backing the Better Together campaign, the meeting was opened up to the audience who asked a range of interesting and thought-provoking questions.
There was an overwhelmingly positive atmosphere at the meeting with general agreement that the strength of the argument in favour of Scotland’s continued membership of the UK, providing Scots with the best of both worlds, is the Better Together campaign’s trump card.
Fiona O’Donnell MP said:
“I was delighted that the launch event was so well attended and that there was such a positive feel to the whole evening.
“I focused my remarks on why social justice is at the core of my belief that we are better together. Being an integral part of a highly successful union means we are better placed to work together to deliver on social justice at home and abroad.
“There were also some great points and questions from the audience demonstrating the strength of our argument. I look forward to continuing to make the positive case for Scotland’s place within the UK and urge Labour supporters here to join me.”
Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“It was great to see such enthusiasm in Haddington for the Better Together campaign. People were encouraged to see political foes setting aside their differences to stand together at such an important moment in Scotland’s history.
“We have 300 years of shared history with the peoples of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They are our mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and friends. Now is not the time to be breaking our country apart and making them foreigners to us.
“Conservatives in East Lothian will be playing an active role in continuing to win the arguments for Scotland’s place in our United Kingdom”
Jim Hume MSP said:
“As Scots we’re fiercely proud of our heritage, and very distinct culture and traditions. However, we’re also incredibly proud to be British and that strength of feeling couldn’t have been any better illustrated than during last year’s Olympics and Paralympics, a feeling which was reflected in the packed attendance at the launch meeting in the Town House.
“At the moment we have the SNP saying that ‘it’s independence or bust’. That’s simply not the case.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats have done a huge amount of work through our home rule commission and we are providing a lead in the campaign for more powers for the Scottish Parliament within the safety of the United Kingdom.”