Join the quEUe

We SHOULD really be rather grateful to Messrs Salmond and Co for the way that things have been crystalising over the past few weeks. Although they had no wish for the debate to clarify so much in such a short time, the Scottish electorate now knows which way will be up in 2014.

We now know Scotland will face an unknown length of time in a queue if it wishes to apply to join the European Union. Spain will do its utmost to prevent Scottish accession to that body.

And, if a separate Scotland sticks to its guns, it will have a hefty bill in the billions to pay the rest of the UK in compensation for kicking out the nuclear subs and closing down their base. Quite where the money for that will come from is doubtful, as there will be thousands more unemployed people on the Clyde who will need the dole, not including the hefty social services bill that the Scottish administration carries at present.

We know that Scotland will have to carry on with the pound if the UK breaks up. Clearly, also, if Scotland is not in the EU, there will have to be border controls with England. There is no alternative if one country is in the EU and the other is not. Scots will probably have to change their Scottish money and carry their passports to visit friends and family like all other, non-EU foreigners in England.

However, on the plus side, Scotland can expect lots of interest from Russia and, it is quite possible that, as happened in Malta after independence, Scotland will have Russian ships renting docks currently used by Royal Navy and Nato ships. I am sure that roubles will be just as welcome in a non-EU, non-Nato Scotland as pounds.

Andrew HN Gray

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh