Natives’ return

Published on 15/10/2012 00:00

A PROBLEM lurking beneath the surface of the independence debate has yet to be brought to the attention of the authorities. If Scotland should snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and actually make a decision to leave the UK by the curious route of saying “Yes” to a negative proposition, then there is yet another major obstacle to surmount.

Since Scotland will be outside the European Union from the moment it becomes a new state, all EU nationals in Scotland will become foreign workers. Although a Scottish Government could legislate to deal with this very quickly, about 800,000 Scots who live and work in England would then lose the right to work, vote or live there, unless, of course, they decide to remain British citizens.

There would be little incentive for the English to keep those who do not work in essential services and the potential for a major headache could well land on 
Holyrood’s front doorstep on day one of the Scottish free state.

It would be an interesting exercise for Mr Salmond’s party to find homes for something approaching a sixth of the entire population of Scotland coming north with a grievance against the Nats. I wouldn’t want to be Mr Salmond in that situation.

Andrew HN Gray

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh