Council gives backing to referendum on Brexit terms
Highland Council has formally backed a second Brexit vote on the terms of the UK's departure from the EU.
Councillors Deirdre Mackay, Alasdair Christie and John Finlayson submitted the motion calling for "a referendum on the terms of leaving the European Union, with the option of remaining in the European Union".
Now that it has passed, the council is obliged to make representations to local MPs and MSPs calling for a "people’s vote."
In a contentious debate last week Cllr Deirdre Mackay said: "It is important that we don’t forget that among the public there really was no reason nor appetite for a referendum on our membership of the European Union.
"The sole purpose behind the Brexit vote was to unify one political party but the result not only further dividing that party but dividing and confusing the whole country and instead of clarity we have pandemonium."
That led to an angry reaction from some councillors who thought the motion was irrelevant and would not have any impact.
Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael said: "I did say at our pre-meeting that I thought this motion should not have come to this chamber – it is not the right place to discuss it.
"I should also say that I am apolitical completely and I feel this is a political motion, it is not right for this chamber.
"We talk about localism, we talk about local decisions, and what do we do – who have we consulted in this? Nobody, absolutely nobody.
"And yet we are asking MPs and MSPs to take this forward on behalf of the Highlands. It is wrong.
"Councillor Mackay said people didn’t know what they were voting for – what an insult."
