An SNP MEP has received a standing ovation from fellow members of the European Parliament after he urged them “not to let Scotland down”.
Speaking in the emergency debate following the Brexit vote last week, Alyn Smith implored his colleagues in Brussels to “respect” that Scotland, Northern Ireland and London had voted to Remain.
The SNP member, who has been an MEP since 2004, received a standing ovation following his speech in the parliament, which had earlier seen confrontational scenes between EU leaders and the UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who is also an MEP.
Mr Smith said: “I represent Scotland within this house and where I’m proudly Scottish, I’m also proudly European.
“I want my country to be internationalist, cooperative, 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.
“I demand that that status and that esprit européen be respected.
“Colleagues, there are a lot of things to be negotiated and we will need cool heads and warm hearts, but please remember this: Scotland did not let you down.
“Please, I beg you, cher colleagues, do not let Scotland down now.”
His speech stood in contrast to the heated debate that followed UKIP leader Mr Farage’s speech, where he told the Brussels gathering it “as a political project” is in “in denial”.
Fellow MEPs hit back, with Liberal group leader and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt accusing Mr Farage of using “Nazi propaganda” during the referendum campaign.