On the eve of the EU Referendum, the polls show just a couple of percentage points between the Remain and Leave camps, with Remain nudging slightly ahead.
Clearly every vote counts and with one in ten people yet to make up their minds, both sides have been pushing hard for support in the final day of campaigning.
Three British politicians of Turkish heritage: Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece, Haringey Councillor Peray Ahmet, and Hackney Councillor Mete Coban are urging people to to vote ‘REMAIN in the EU’ on 23 June.
A statement released by the three said many Turks, Turkish Cypriots and Kurds have asked them how to vote: should they, “remain part of the European Union or leave it – otherwise known as Brexit.”
The three politicians, whose roots all hail from Cyprus, claim that “Britain is better IN the EU” as “jobs and the economy will be safer.”
Baroness Ece, Cllr Ahmet, and Cllr Coban also used their statement to highlight the xenophobic nature of the Brexit campaign, which has shamelessly used Turkey to whip up fear among voters through baseless and offensive allegations:
“What’s been shocking is those leading the Brexit campaign have made Turkey joining the EU a big part of their campaign, designed to scare British people into thinking that 78 million Turks, from a Turkey ‘filled with criminals and terrorists’ are all waiting to come over here.”
“We condemn the false information in the media, during speeches, on campaign posters, needlessly bashing the Turkish community and other refugees, which has become commonplace.”
“We must remember that Turkey has a very long way to go before it can become a member of the EU. But we believe that reforms need to continue to strengthen Turkey’s democratic institutions.
Their statement concludes by asserting that minority communities “are better protected, in terms of our human rights, workers’ rights and democracy” within the EU then outside of it, and “urge all members of the community to vote to REMAIN.”
Main image, L-R: Meral Hussein-Ece, Mete Coban & Peray Ahmet
