John Edward, senior spokesman for Scotland Stronger In Europe (STV)

SCOTS voters could decide the outcome of Thursday’s crunch EU referendum as the result remains on a knife edge.

Campaigning resumes today following the murder of Jo Cox MP with the latest opinion poll showing the Remain camp has a narrow lead.

The Scottish Remain campaign launches a huge operation to get its vote out with strategists predicting the country could return the proportionally biggest pro-EU vote in the UK, possibly only rivalled by London.

Experts say “shy remainers” and traditional Labour voters will determine the outcome of the crunch vote with John Edward, senior spokesman for Scotland Stronger In Europe, claiming there’s a “very real possibility that Scotland’s votes could make the difference”.

He added: “Our approach for the last few days will be to stress that there is absolutely everything to play for as the polls indicate it is too close to call, so every vote counts and Scotland can make the difference.

“UK-wide, the vote could go either way, that’s what the polls tell us, so everybody in Scotland who has the sentiment that they want to stay in the EU needs to get out and vote for it.

“This is a unifying message, you only have to look at the independence issue to see that.

“Both sides competed to be the most pro-European.

“Both sides supported Scotland remaining part of the European Union, whether that was as an independent Scotland or as part of the UK.

“That support for EU membership is equally strong on either side. Referendums are divisive but in Scotland the Remain campaign can be unifying and Scotland can come together.”

A UK-wide BMG telephone poll published yesterday puts support for Remain at 46% and backing for Leave on 43%, with 11% undecided or unwilling to say.

Excluding this group, 52% were in favour of staying in the EU, with 48% backing Brexit.

The poll showed working class people were much more likely to back leaving the EU than the middle classes.

Michael Turner, research director at BMG, said: “Our polling suggests that, although there may have been a strong shift towards a vote to leave the EU in recent weeks, the Remain camp are still very much ahead.

“BMG currently estimates around a one in nine chance of Brexit on June 23, but this could change considerably between now and polling day.”

BMG said the research suggested that Labour supporters were more than two-to-one in favour of remaining in the EU and could be the “deciding factor” in the vote.

Mr Turner added: “If we see a ‘lazy Labour’ effect at the polls again, that could very easily change the result.”

Brendan Chilton, General Secretary of Labour Leave, said: “The latest polling shows us that Labour Leave is winning the argument, despite having around a tenth of the resource. We now expect as many as 1 in 2 Labour voters to back Leave on 23 June.

“Many Labour voters in this country have been won over by the countless working people, like fishermen and farmers, campaigning for Leave.”

Defence Chief Lord Guthrie switches to Brexit

FORMER defence chief Lord Guthrie has switched sides to the Leave campaign in the EU referendum.

The ex-chief of defence signed a Downing Street letter calling for the UK to stay in the EU in February but has changed his mind, saying he was worried by the prospect of “a European army”.

The UK Government has previously stated Britain will “never be part of an EU army” and has the veto power to block such a move.

But Lord Guthrie said he was still concerned.

He said: “I think a European army could damage Nato. It is expensive. It’s unnecessary duplication to have it. It would appeal to some Euro vanity thing.

“There’s a feeling that those backing the European army are doing it for political reasons rather than military ones.

“They want to be able to boast, ‘Look! We’ve got a European army’. That is dangerous.”

EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, have said a European army is needed to stand up to Russia but Britain Stronger in Europe said there is an “overwhelming consensus” among military chiefs that Britain is “stronger and safer” in the EU.

And Defence Secretary and Remain campaigner Michael Fallon last month said: “Our security rests on Nato. No one seriously disputes that. Britain will never be part of an EU army,”

EU referendum: Brexit battle hits crunch stage