The vast majority of Scotland’s councils will campaign for the UK to remain in the European Union, a local authority umbrella body has announced.
Cosla, which speaks for 28 of Scotland’s 32 councils, secured an agreement from all of the local authority political parties for a united voice to stay in the EU at a meeting in Edinburgh.
President David O’Neill said: “Given the importance of the issue, we took a paper on the EU referendum to our full convention and I am pleased to say that there was agreement from the political groups within Cosla that we would campaign to remain within the European Union.
“Councillors felt that this was the right thing to do given the social, economic, environmental, political and peace dividends being part of Europe brings.
“It was also felt that the ability to directly influence the EU agenda from within was an important feature of the current arrangement although it was also felt that these could and must be improved upon.
“After the referendum, and whatever the outcome, agreement needs to be reached to strengthen subsidiarity and the role of local self-government.”
The four councils that recently withdrew from Cosla following a row over funding are led by Labour administrations and are also likely to back a vote to Remain.