Gavin Newlands MP – “We need to do more to condemn racially-motivated behaviour”
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has condemned racially-motivated attacks after European Embassies in the UK reported a rise in the number of alleged hate crimes since the EU Referendum. It was revealed that European Embassies in the UK have been contacted about dozens of alleged hate and abuse crimes since the vote to leave the European Union on June 23rd, with the vast majority of xenophobic incidents involving people from Eastern European countries such as Poland and Lithuania. The Prime Minister Theresa May has had to assure the Polish Government that the UK Government are taking seriously the concerns about hate crimes committed towards Polish citizens living in the UK. Gavin Newlands MP commented: “These alleged attacks are the very worst product of the political campaign around the EU Referendum. Politicians and everyone across public life have a responsibility to condemn these vile acts and to discourage any kind of racially-motivated behaviour. “The SNP and the Scottish Government has been absolutely clear that hate crime and prejudice is completely unacceptable. Following the vote to leave the European Union, I wrote to every EU citizen in my constituency to offer assistance and assurance that they are welcomed in Renfrewshire and that we value the contribution that they make to our communities.
“Following the EU referendum, the SNP Scottish Government has confirmed that they will pursue every option to protect the rights of EU citizens living and working in Scotland. However, the UK Government has offered no such assurances - instead Theresa May and her fellow Tories have only exacerbated the uncertainty felt by many EU citizens living in the UK.
