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SNP launching European election drive SNP launches European election campaign
(about 17 hours later)
The SNP is launching its campaign for the European Elections with a promise to "ensure that Scotland's interests are always defended" in Brussels. A strong team of SNP MEPs under Scottish independence is the best way to represent the nation in Brussels, party leader Alex Salmond has said.
First Minister Alex Salmond will argue that Westminster priorities let Scotland down. Launching his party's European election campaign, the Scottish first minister said Westminster had let Scotland down.
And he will say Scotland needs to have its "own voice in Europe". He said a vote for the SNP on 22 May would ensure Scotland's interests were always represented.
The SNP currently has two of Scotland's six MEPs. Labour also has two, while the Tories and Liberal Democrats each have one Scottish MEP. The last Euro election saw the SNP win two out of Scotland's six European Parliament seats.
The European Parliament ballot is the last election before the independence referendum on 18 September. The 2014 poll is the last election before the Scottish independence referendum, on 18 September.
Mr Salmond will stress the contribution Scotland makes to the European Union (EU) but will also argue a "strong team of SNP MEPs" is needed to help advance Scottish interests. Speaking at the Moredun Research Institute, outside Edinburgh, Mr Salmond said Scotland had benefitted from European funding worth hundreds of millions since 2007.
'Positive relationships' He said this was now at risk because of Prime Minister David Cameron's offer of a referendum on EU membership in 2017.
The first minister will say: "Scotland and the EU have worked as partners for more than 40 years in research and in renewable resources, in fishing and in oil and gas, Scotland brings as much to the EU as the EU contributes to Scotland. "Scotland and the EU have worked as partners for more than 40 years and in research and in renewable resources, in fishing and in oil and gas, Scotland brings as much to the EU as the EU contributes to Scotland," Mr Salmond said.
"Being an active part of the EU has helped to create thousands of jobs in Scotland - jobs which are threatened by Westminster's obsessive anti-EU agenda. "Being an active part of the EU has helped to create thousands of jobs in Scotland - jobs which are threatened by the Westminster parties' obsessive anti-European agenda.
"Westminster's short-sighted priorities have let Scotland down time and time again." "Westminster's short-sighted priorities have let Scotland down time and time again. We need the opportunity to speak with our own voice in Europe to build on the positive relationships with our neighbours Scotland has already established."
He added: "We need the opportunity to speak with our own voice in Europe to build on the positive relationships with our neighbours Scotland has already established.
"A vote for a strong team of SNP MEPs on 22 May and a Yes vote in September will let Scotland make our mark in Europe and ensure that Scotland's interests are always defended."