Members of Parliament have spoken of the strong ties between Poland and the UK in a Westminster Hall debate this week. Fife MP Peter Grant commended the contribution of Poles in the Second World War, and the ongoing contribution of the Polish community to local life in Fife. You can watch the full debate here: http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/ff454aaa-686d-4c9e-8481-9abcf9b86faf

Speaking about World War II, Peter said: “In the early 1940s, one in every six bomber crews in Bomber Command was Polish. In total, 19,000 Poles served in the RAF. The contribution that Poles made in helping to crack the Enigma code has already been highlighted. Poles also played a crucial role in taking Monte Cassino, it was the Poles who eventually sank the Bismarck, and the Poles were the only people to shoot down Luftwaffe bombers during the worst night of the blitz of Clydebank.”

Peter went on to argue that Polish nationals should have the right to vote in all UK elections, saying he was pleased that “EU nationals can vote in elections that are under the control of the Scottish Government, and I sincerely hope that all the elections in the United Kingdom will soon follow suit, because it seems to me that we do not vote for what or where we have been, but for where we want to go together. It is only right that those who have chosen to make their future part of our future should have a full say in that future.”

Peter then called on the UK Government to give Polish and other EU nationals a guarantee that their right to remain in Scotland will not be affected by Brexit, saying: “I do not understand why the leader of the United Kingdom Government cannot say today what the leader of the Scottish Government said over a year ago to our ​Polish nationals and nationals of other European countries who live here among us. What I want the UK Government to say to them is what the Scottish Government have already said to them: “This is your home. This is where you belong. We want you to stay for as long as you and your family want to stay here with us.” “