Labour parliamentarians Ian Murray and Daniel Johnson have written directly to 22,000 residents in the south of Edinburgh to outline why being part of the EU is so important for the capital.
They have pledged to campaign tirelessly for voters in the city to have a final say on Brexit with the option to remain in the EU.
Their letter highlights:
• 5% of all jobs in Edinburgh are filled by workers from EU countries.
• The University of Edinburgh received over £40million in EU research funding in 2017/18.
• The international financial services industry provides £5billion in gross value added to Edinburgh’s economy and employs 50,000 people.
Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, said:“It is in Scotland’s and Edinburgh’s interests to work together across nations to solve the pressing issues of the day.
“You don’t solve problems by creating borders, but by building bridges. That is the view of people in south Edinburgh, clear from two referenda, and it is the view we will fight to represent – Scotland in the UK and the UK in the EU.
“The future of our country is at stake. We pledge to work tirelessly to make sure the people of Edinburgh get a final say on Brexit with the option to remain in the European Union.”
Daniel Johnson, Labour MSP for Edinburgh Southern, said: “There is no Brexit deal that is better than the deal we currently enjoy as a member of the European Union.
“EU membership is crucial to southern Edinburgh: our financial services industry which provides so much employment is dependent on full access to European markets and our world class universities depend on European nationals for staff, students and the world’s best scientists and academics.
“We must continue to fight for these benefits, which is why we believe that people in Edinburgh need the final say through a confirmatory vote on any deal, and the Labour Party will campaign to remain in the EU.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
