Brexit campaigners can convince Scots to vote Leave despite polls consistently showing people north of the border want to stay in the EU, Michael Gove has claimed.
In his first public appearance in Scotland since the campaign kicked off in anger, the UK Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor argued the result was still “entirely open”.
Aberdonian Mr Gove claimed people were increasingly “following the instinct in their hearts” to vote Leave the more they listened to arguments about sovereignty. A recent poll had Scottish support for Remain at 71%.
Asked about the polls, the Conservative MP told journalists in Glasgow: “We’ll see come the referendum in 10 days’ time but I’m struck by the fact that the enthusiasm and momentum seems to be behind the Leave side.
“It is striking that the new members of the Scottish Parliament, who were elected in a result which I think surprised many, were in favour of Leave.
“But even beyond those talented young figures like Oliver Mundell and Ross Thomon…you have also got the case that there are figures in the Scottish Labour Party and figures who have voted for Labour in the past and indeed people of no pronounced political allegiance who will vote Leave.
“Everyone understands that in a referendum you make a judgement based on what you think is best for the country in the long term.
“Eighteen months ago, Scotland made a decisions that the United Kingdom is a union which works. The European Union is a union that doesn’t work.”
He also tried to play down talk of divisions within the Conservative Party as so-called blue on blue attacks continue to escalate in their ferocity.
Mr Gove said earlier on Monday that more powers would be devolved to Holyrood in the event of a UK EU exit and hinted that more control over immigration could be given to the Scottish Government.
The co-convener of the Vote Leave campaign told BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme “it would be for Scotland to decide” how many immigrants it admits to the country in the event of Brexit.
But Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has argued for Holyrood to control immigration, described Mr Gove’s comments as “a fib and a half” on Twitter.
When asked how many people would be allowed to come to Scotland if the UK leaves the EU, Mr Gove said: “It would be for Scotland to decide.
“Because, under any proposals we put forward we believe that a points-based immigration policy, similar to the one that was actually put forward as a model for an independent Scotland by Nicola Sturgeon, would be the right approach.”
He acknowledged that the Home Office currently sets immigration policy for the whole of the UK, but said “one of the advantages of moving outside the EU is that we would be able, as a United Kingdom, to have control over immigration policy”.
He added: “Holyrood would be strengthened if we left the EU.
“The Scottish Parliament would have new powers over fishing, agriculture, over some social areas and potentially over immigration.”
SNP Foreign Affairs spokesman, Alex Salmond, accused Mr Gove of “talking nonsense on ermine clad stilts”.
He said: “The truth is of course is that the Brexiteers will say anything at this stage in the campaign. They run about England telling people they are going to slash immigration and now Gove comes to Scotland to tell us we will be able to attract more people.
“The Lord Chancellor is talking nonsense on ermine clad stilts – what is standing in the way of Scotland having the immigration powers we need isn’t the EU, it’s the UK government.”
Meanwhile, Mr Gove revealed there will be a pro-Leave rally in Glasgow on Thursday evening, where he said “big name” speakers will be in attendance.
Boris Johnson has not ventured to Scotland yet as part of the campaign.
Asked about the prospect of a second independence referendum if there is a Leave vote in the UK, Mr Gove said the SNP “don’t have that mandate”.
He added: “It is pretty clear from everything the SNP are saying they don’t want a second referendum because they will lose it.”
