In 2016, contrary to the SNP position, he announced he would campaign in favour of British withdrawal from the EU during the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. He has said: "I think (the EU) is a profoundly undemocratic organisation which has shown a callous disregard for people, in Portugal, Spain and Greece for example. They've been willing to make people destitute - beggar nations - in pursuit of a single policy to create a United States of Europe irrespective of whether the people want it."