Scottish independence, Scotland’s ‘jolly fat man’ is still peddling the utter falsehood that Scotland can join the EU from the ‘inside’, Scotland's membership is because of being part of the UK, Spanish Prime Minister presents realism to Scots, not in UK not EU member

Dear All

The SNP lied to the people of Scotland when they said that Scotland would have automatic EU membership.

It’s a lie and worse still it is a lie that the SNP having been caught still keep pumping out in various guises.

Alex Salmond insists there is “substantial evidence” that Scotland will not be kicked out of the EU.

There isn’t, and another falsehood is that if Scotland was independent it can renegotiate membership from inside.

If you are already on the ‘inside’ you have membership.

So, that is false.

The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy warns last night that Scotland would be forced to exit the EU after a Yes vote in the referendum.

This is because there is no contract of membership between the Scottish Government and the EU.

There has never been, so Salmond can’t renegotiate from the inside.

One of the things which I expected not to be in the white paper was a Bill to enable EU law to continue if there was a Yes vote between Scotland leaving and possibly gaining EU membership. And there is no guarantee when that would take place or how long talks would take place.

Spain’s Prime Minister is being “straighter with Scots” than the SNP, which is hardly surprising since Alex Salmond and unpopular Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon continually face major questions regarding trust, not just in their defunct Government but in them also.

Can you trust Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon?

No, you cannot trust Salmond and Sturgeon. 

The issue of the EU is central to the independence debate, over 18 months ago, unpopular DFM Nicola Sturgeon was destroyed on the BBC when Tory Leader Ruth Davidson pulled out a letter that the SNP had never been in touch with the EU regarding membership… in their entire history.

If Scotland is out of the UK, there are concerns that a “renegotiation” as the Nats term it could mean Scotland forced to adopt the euro currency, join the Schengen open borders area with mainland Europe and lose the UK’s multi-billion pound budget rebate.

The UK’s multi-billion pound budget rebate remains with the UK, it cannot be transferred to Scotland because that is a separate contract.

So, no rebate for Scotland, and in the gap, it means no EU grants either for a non EU member Scotland.

At FMQ’s Salmond is stsill pedling the falsehood that:

“Scotland will be negotiating its position from within the European Union.”

Untrue, untrue and untrue, it is a con trick from a man who can’t even be straight with the people anymore.

Salmond is relying on a letter from the head of unit of the European Commission Secretairiat-general, he stated:

“The ongoing democratic process is a matter for the UK and Scottish Governments and the Scottish people. It would be legally possible to renegotiate the situation of the UK and Scotland within the European Union.”

That doesn’t mean it would be legal in fact just that the Scots could legally start negotiations, it is an attempt to use words to construct a proposition which isn’t valid.

This shows how much utter contempt Alex Salmond holds working class Scots in such low regard.

Former European Court judge Sir David Edward has also said the EU would be “obliged” to enter negotiations before Scotand become fully independent.

No, there are not “obliged” because there is the issue of member veto on any new potential member wishing to apply, each country in Europe has a veto. The SNP keep relying of people who have no position in the EU like Edward because they can’t get the EU on side. Edward’s opinion is of no more value than anyone else on this matter.

Labour leader Johann Lamont said that the Spanish Prime Minister had made it clear that by leaving the UK, Scotland would also leave the EU and have to “reapply as a new member.”

She added: “What part of that statement does the First Minister not understand?”

Oh, he understands it perfectly; his hope is those working classes Scots aren’t too clever, well sadly for him, in this country at this time; there is an education system.

Spain has problems with the Catalan independence movement, they would reject Scotland’s membership to ensure their own position becomes more stable at home; it isn’t a secret that Spanish politicians will put Spanish interests before Scotland’s membership application in the event of independence.

 

Rajoy has a rising Nationalist movement in the Catalonia region of Spain, a million and a half people marched in Spain, in Scotland, Alex Salmond could only get 8,000 to walk the streets in a recent march.

He said he intervened because the consequences of a Yes vote should be presented with “realism to Scots.”

The truth is the most devastating weapon in politics, not lies; not spin, not doctoring the truth, not trying to be clever with words.

At a press conference in Madrid, the Spanish Prime Minister laid out the bottom line by saying.

“I know for sure that a region that would separate from the European Union would remain outside the European Union and that should be known by the Scots.”

Ms Lamont said:

“The Spanish Prime Minister is being straighter with the people of Scotland than the First Minister.”

And less we forget, EU President Jose Manuel Barroso has also said Scotland would have to re-apply to join the EU.

I think we are sick to the back teeth of the SNP claiming things as fact and after they get found out that they claim they were ‘acting in good faith’.

Nobody is that stupid.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University