IF you believe in human rights and equality then vote to remain in the EU, Nicola Sturgeon has urged.

The First Minister said the benefits of European Union membership are taken for granted and a remain vote is necessary to protect them.

Ms Sturgeon joined Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood and Green MP, Caroline Lucas to encourage people to vote highlighting benefits for women, young people workers and parents of EU legislation.

READ MORE: Support to stay in the EU growing in Scotland

The First Minister said: “Membership of the European Union has brought us social and economic rights that have made us more prosperous, made our society fairer and have created real opportunities for our young people and our economy.

“The EU delivers benefits that we take for granted every day. For many young people the right to work and to travel in other EU countries is part of their journey into adulthood.

“For parents the rights to maternity and paternity leave now considered normal have been hard won with the help of the EU.”

She said that without Europe the Conservative Government at Westminster wold have a free hand to weaken rights and reduce equality and diminish the UK’s ability to tackle international issues.

READ MORE: Support to stay in the EU growing in Scotland

She added: “To leave the EU, would be to take the risk of leaving those hard won rights and opportunities in the hands of a Tory government that simply cannot be trusted, and to isolate the UK at a time when we should be working with other countries to tackle climate change, to address the refugee crisis or to deal with security issues.

The three met at Westminster and issued a joint statement which outlined many of the issues they believe the European Union offers benefits.

It stated: “The EU isn’t just an abstract concept - it matters to all of us every day. It’s our right to get home from work in time to see our families, it’s the air that we breathe, it’s clean beaches on our holidays , it’s equality between men and women in the workplace and it’s the historical anomaly of living in a Europe of lasting peace between neighbours.

READ MORE: Support to stay in the EU growing in Scotland

“Across our three parties we believe that membership of the EU is ultimately in the best interests of the UK and of Scotland and Wales.”