EU membership

Published on 31/10/2012 00:00

Fraser Grant (Letters, 30 October) says “legal advice from several sources” says that an independent Scotland would have the automatic right to membership of the European Union.

“Legal advice” can mean anything these days, apparently, but Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, disagrees, saying that Scotland would have to “wait in the queue” and make a case for membership.

This is the only categorical statement that we have had on the matter.

The secession of Scotland from the UK would not mean the disqualification and requirement of application for membership of the remaining Union of England, Wales and Northern Ireland from membership, as Mr Barroso has also said.

Scotland’s application would have to be approved by all member nations of the EU, but would be vetoed by Spain.

Mr Grant suggests this would be to Spain’s disadvantage, as Scotland’s exclusion from the European Union would prevent Spanish trawlers fishing in
lucrative Scottish waters, but who would stop them? The Scottish navy?

Walter J Allan

Colinton Mains Drive

Edinburgh

Your correspondents Brian Wilson and Michael Kelly must feel fortunate to find their 
opinions in such demand so long after their respective political sell-by dates, and now appear to be engaged in a competition to achieve the purest possible distillation of vintage unionist bile.

Never mind that 125 nations have become independent since 1945 and not one has sought to return to its previous state,
the “I” word must never be
used: for us, and us alone, it is “separation”.

Inconveniently, Portugal isn’t seeking union with Spain, 
Iceland hasn’t asked for devo-max with Denmark, and Ireland still doesn’t want to be part of the UK – despite their economic woes.

Why? Because these nations know what we have to hope Scotland will recognise: it is
always better to take responsibility for your own problems.

But never mind. The referendum isn’t an election, and Scottish Labour, in this instance, doesn’t have to prove itself
better than the SNP.

Malcolm Kerr

Brodick

Isle of Arran