Scotland's future depends on its representatives in Brussels as much as the referendum, anti-racist campaigners have warned in the run-up to this month’s EU elections.
Two rival candidates in the looming European parliament votes are to set aside their differences this evening at a Glasgow event challenging the resurgence of fascist parties across the continent.
Labour party activist and former Scottish TUC president Katrina Murray is expected to take to the hustings alongside No2EU’s Andrew Elliott.
Organiser Hope Not Hate Scotland said the meeting was “especially topical” given Ukip’s recent attempts to make inroads into Scotland.
Hope Not Hate’s Rab O’Donnell said it was crucial to cast a vote against racist right-wing organisations.
With voter turnout historically as low as 34 per cent, it was easy for such groups to seize power with a small but hardcore base of supporters.
Meanwhile, Ukip’s 13 English MEPs have sought to bolster their influence in Brussels with the far-right alliance Europe of Freedom and Democracy, whose Italian co-president Francesco Speroni described mass murderer Anders Breivik as acting “in defence of western civilisation.”
“Whatever way the independence referendum goes, it’s still going to be those MEPs sitting in the European Parliament,” Mr O’Donnell said.
“If Ukip increases its seats in the European parliament it will see the same far-right shift that is happening in Westminster.”
The free event, part of the Friends of May Day calendar, is from 7pm in Partick Burgh Halls, Glasgow.