arper & McAlpine hold EU Citizens meeting in Dumfries

> SNP MSP’s Emma Harper & Joan McAlpine last week held a meeting for EU citizens at St Teresa’s Church, Dumfries, to discuss the implications of Brexit for EU citizens living in Scotland. The evening was organised by Fr Jim Hayes with Emma.
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> Speaking after the event, Emma said:
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> “I’m grateful to Father Jim for assisting in coordinating members of his community and congregation to attend Friday night’s meeting. Joan and I both wanted to try to reassure EU citizens that we understand how difficult and worrying this time is for them and that as far as we are concerned, they are welcome in Scotland and that this is their home.
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> “In doing that, we have to acknowledge that the Scottish Government doesn’t have power over immigration but we have, and will continue to make the strongest representations that EU citizens must be treated fairly and their right to stay in this country, which they have made home, honoured by the UK Government.”
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> Joan added:
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> “The most upsetting part of the meeting was the revelation of a Polish dad whose little girl had come home crying from school every day for a week after the EU referendum. The result had an immensely traumatic effect on her – yet the family had lived here for ten years, the dad working hard to make a life and the children considering themselves Scots.
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> “I could only assure him that we in the SNP would continue to fight his family’s corner. We will fight for all the 181,000 citizens who have made their homes in Scotland, enriching our community immensely. However I resolved to write to the local education department to encourage them to enhance their efforts to ensure schools work to address any bullying of children as a result of Brexit.”
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> Notes: a photo of Emma and Joan at the meeting is attached.
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