EAST Lothian is one of the closest constituencies to Europe both geographically and politically so Brexit will weigh heavily on people’s minds when they go to the polls on June 8.

But who should they vote for?

The Nationalist who declared Project Europe “officially dead” and questioned the logic of swapping “our bosses in London for their counterparts in Berlin and Brussels”?

Or the Tory who voted “tactically” to leave the EU to prevent a second independence referendum? Labour, whose leader whipped his party to vote Brexit through in Parliament?

Or the Liberal Democrats who want another Brexit referendum but are still questioned over their coalition with the Tories?

Nearly 65 per cent of the county voted to remain in the EU and 62 per cent voted against independence, making it one of the most pro-Europe and pro-UK parts of Scotland.

Sitting MP George Kerevan insists he is “absolutely” behind the SNP policy of full EU membership for an independent Scotland, despite the reservations he expressed before he was elected in 2015.

He said: “The EU definitely needs reforming and if there are more small nations in the EU like Scotland and Catalonia that would open up the possibility of removing the democratic deficit.

“The nature of the EU is never fixed. It’s a constantly evolving institution and I see no reason why it won’t evolve again.”

Mr Kerevan won a handsome victory over Labour MP Fiona O’Donnell in 2015, but with constitutional politics so prominent he fears tactical voting could cut his 6,803 majority.

“As long as there’s no tactical voting we’ll come through,” he said. “You can see both the Conservatives and Labour trying to boost tactical voting to help their cause. Certainly in East Lothian the Conservatives have been putting a lot of effort into it.”

Labour are also quietly raising Mr Kerevan’s finances in the campaign. After promising to live off the wage of an average secretary, Mr Kerevan pocketed £27,000 as an MP and donated the rest to his constituency office and local charities.

But he hired his wife to work for him, leading to accusations of double standards.

“My wife worked for the Hansard Society for eight years before I was elected,” he said.

“She actually knows more about the ins and outs of Westminster than I do so she has been a great help and great benefit to my work and the constituency. Employing a family member is within the rules, provided it’s done on an open basis, and MPs of all parties do it. Also, if my wife didn’t work with me at the office I would never see her.”

Martin Whitfield, a primary school teacher and former lawyer, has been chosen to build on Labour’s success at the council election and Holyrood election, where former leader Iain Gray defied the Labour rout by extending his previously wafer-thin majority in 2016.

Mr Whitfield said: “We are the only party that can remove the SNP in East Lothian. East Lothian voted against independence and against leaving Europe, so I am the natural choice.

“Yes, George Kerevan was elected in 2015 against a very good MP who did phenomenal work at Westminster and is now one of our councillors, but it would be fair to say that some people perhaps chose the colour of the party more than the calibre of MP.”

Mr Whitfield is seeking a personal mandate in an area where, by his own admission, leader Jeremy Corbyn is barely mentioned on doorsteps.

“When Jeremy Corbyn is mentioned – and I have to say it isn’t very often – there is huge support for his views on poverty and austerity,” he said.

The constituency is seen as a straight fight between Labour and the SNP but the Tories had a relatively good showing at the council elections, picking up almost as many votes as the SNP. Sheila Low, a former investment manager, said the Tories “very much believe that we can win this seat” despite “mixed views on the doors”.

Ms Low said she took “the strategic view” and voted to leave the EU, despite her fears that Brexit would bring tough times ahead.

“I thought a lot of people who would want to stay in the UK would do that because that would deny the SNP the chance of a second independence referendum,” she said. “Unfortunately, not enough people thought the way I did.

“I still want a close relationship with Europe, and I think that is what Theresa May will deliver. I would still rather be part of the UK out of Europe than an independent Scotland in Europe.”

She added: “I’m not going to put a gloss on it. I think there will be difficult times ahead but we just have to get the best deal that we can. We’ve started so we have to finish. People had a vote and that was the result.”

Dr Elisabeth Wilson believes the LibDems are the natural choice for East Lothian. Unlike the other parties, they have been unwavering in their support for the EU and against independence, but are Scots ready to forgive them for their coalition with the Tories? “We did it because of the dire financial situation at the time,” she said.

“I’m absolutely behind Tim Farron and Willie Rennie in saying we are not going to have a coalition this time because we don’t agree with the way Theresa May is going towards a hard Brexit.

“And when you talk to people about Labour they just don’t know what they stand for any more, and Corbyn has handed Theresa May a blank cheque by marching all of his MPs through the Brexit lobby.

“Some people are saying to me that they are going to vote Liberal Democrat this time because we are the only party in Scotland that is saying, ‘Let’s keep us in Britain and for goodness’ sake keep us in the EU’.”