ALYN SMITH received a standing ovation in the European Parliament after a passionate speech in which he told members “Scotland did not let you down’.
The SNP MEP said: “I represent Scotland within this house and while I’m proudly Scottish, I’m also proudly European.
“I want my country to be internationalist, co-operative, ecological, fair, European and the people of Scotland – along with the people of Northern Ireland and the people of London and lots and lots of people in Wales and England also – voted to remain within our family of nations.”
He added: “Colleagues, there is a lot to be negotiated. We will need cool heads and warm hearts but please remember this: Scotland did not let you down.
“Please, I beg you, do not let Scotland down.”
Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has come under fire from EU president Jean Claude Juncker for attending the Parliament to discuss the fallout from the Brexit vote.
The Ukip leader took his place along with other MEPs in the Brussels chamber as Mr Juncker addressed members about the next steps.
“That’s the last time you are applauding here,” Mr Juncker said after the fiercely anti-EU politician applauded his opening statement that Europe “must respect British democracy and the way it has expressed its view”.
“To some extent I am really surprised that you are here,” he told him.
“You were fighting for the exit, the British people voted in favour of the exit. Why are you here?”
Farage told fellow MEPs “you’re not laughing now” as he was barracked and booed during his own speech.
He accused them of being “in denial” about the euro crisis, immigration and the imposition “by stealth, by deception, without ever telling the truth” of a political union.
Offering a tongue in cheek “thank you for the warm welcome”, he told them: “When I came here 17 years ago and said I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the European Union you all laughed at me.
“Well I have to say you’re not laughing now are you?”
As the session was disrupted by constant shouts of dissent, Parliament president Martin Schulz was forced to intervene, warning members that “one major quality of democracy is that you listen to those even if you don’t share their opinion”.
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