SNP’s Europe folly

Published on 16/07/2012 00:00

JIM Fairlie (Scotsman, 14 July) seems to be about the only realistic writer on nationalist affairs who is pro-independence.

Mr Fairlie recognises the pointlessness of the SNP stance of joining the EU after breaking away from the rest of the UK and calling that “independence”.

Although I do not think that many people will have the nerve to adopt Mr Fairlie’s fearless approach to going it alone in the true sense of independence, I take my hat off to him for pointing out the senselessness of the SNP policy.

The problem faced by the exponents of “independence-lite”, if one can really even go as far as that in naming the SNP’s main policy, is that it will always fail the litmus test. A complete lack of control of interest rates is only one aspect of a policy which shows the SNP to have painted themselves into a corner from which they cannot escape.

When other small European economies are clearly never going to be able to succeed in recovering while they remain in the euro, it would be “unpardonable folly”, as Mr Salmond would say, to condemn Scotland and Scots to a questionable future where we constitute 1 per cent of the population of the EU, with a proportionate amount of 
influence.

The only real choice facing Scots now is to remain in the Union, where our voices count and we are part of an economy which will expand over the next few years, while others contract, or taking a very great leap of faith indeed, and following Mr Fairlie’s step into total independence and all the uncertainties that would entail.

ANDREW HN GRAY

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh