European reality

Andrew HN Gray’s letter (11 November) implies that on dissolution of the United Kingdom an independent Scottish Government, and the government of the “rump-UK”, would have to apply to rejoin as new entities.

It is far more likely that both would remain members. Mr Gray appears to favour Scotland being refused entry to the EU – is that because we are “sinners”?

Without recourse to divine interpretation or revelation, or labelling of those with whom I disagree as “lacking reality”, let me give Mr Gray an up-to-date opinion on Scottish membership of the EU as it is “important that everyone should know what will actually happen if there is a vote on the break-up of the Union”.

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Professor Dr Henri de Waele, senior lecturer in EU law at Radboud University, Nijmegen, said: “Other member nations would be open to ensuring that Scotland quickly became a member in her own right”! Dae ye “ken noo”?

Bill McLean

Newmills

Dunfermline

So many of your Nationalist correspondents make the same mistake of thinking that, if they succeed in breaking up the UK, they will be able to dictate events in Europe as they do in politically apathetic Scotland. Some hope. Scotland would be close to being an irritating pariah state and most unwelcome in the European corridors of power.

The decision whether or not a broken-off Scotland is allowed into the EU will not be made by SNP members or candidates, that is the one thing that is certain. If nothing else, the decision will be a political one and it is fantasy of the worst kind to imagine that European countries with separatist movements of their own would simply open the doors.

Equally, if they go the Norway route, fine, but it is not scaremongering to tell the truth again and say that in that case, for starters, there would be border posts with the rest of the UK and no guarantee of UK-wide TV.

Truth can be most painful and I well understand the Nationalist ire when these things are calmly pointed out by Andrew HN Gray (Letters, 11 November) and others.

Alexander McKay

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh