In what was the second public meeting hosted by John Lamont MSP, nearly 200 residents from Melrose and the surrounding area turned up to hear what they could do to stop the SNP’s plans to break up Britain.

Residents filled the Corn Exchange last night to hear why John Lamont MSP had just voted against plans to hold a second independence referendum in the Scottish Parliament.

More than 400 Borderers attended the two meetings in Kelso and Melrose, which were arranged in around a week in response to an unprecedented number of emails, phone calls and messages on the issue.

At the meeting in Melrose, residents asked questions about what happens following the vote yesterday in Holyrood, and the discussion also covered inconsistencies in the SNP’s case for another referendum and for independence.

Unfortunately, one attendee had to be asked to leave as she repeatedly disrupted the meeting by shouting down other questioners and refusing to let any of the other people speak.

Following the two meetings, John Lamont MSP said:

“I was blown away by the number of people who turned up on a Monday and Tuesday nights to discuss what can be done to stop a damaging second independence referendum.

“I recall public meetings in the run up to the 2014 referendum where we struggled to get 30 people in the room, despite the fact that the Borders voted so overwhelmingly against separation. It is clear that this time round, Borderers are not prepared to stand by quietly and let the SNP drag us back to the division of the past.

“People are disappointed, disheartened and concerned at the First Minister and the SNP’s attempt to drag us back to the division of the separation debate. The sense that I am getting from Borderers is that opposition to the idea of breaking up Britain has never been stronger and the turnout over the past few days certainly backs this up.

“There was a real desire amongst attendees to learn more about the process over the next few years as Scotland’s other Government in Westminster negotiates our exit from the EU and what implications that has for Scotland.

“I was very grateful to everyone who took the time to come out and attend these meetings and for the way everyone conducted themselves during the discussion.”