Scottish independence: you know things are seriously bad and going downhill when even George Foulkes gets to kick your political arse like a football striker hammering it into an empty net!

Dear All

As we are know, an independent Scotland would not have automatic continuation of EU membership.

Despite Alex Salmond’s hot air and bluster, the ‘retreat from Moscow’ on that position has already started.

Salmond and Sturgeon should realise the jig is up.

Do you notice that the independence campaign has more or less collapsed even before the infamous ‘Declaration of Cineworld’ where Alex Salmond got the public blessing of the rich and a few hangers on, it has all gone sideways!

Alex Salmond:

‘My problem is that I have too many talented people’.

It’s very funny because ‘talent’ is seen by many as defined by the word ‘crony’.

Ever since the claim of automatic EU membership was used by Salmond, the SNP clique climbed onboard and began parroting it out, some people will literary do anything for money.

There is no contract between the EU and Scotland, therefore there is no Scottish membership; it is really quite simple to understand as a point of law.

If you need further proof, the look at the continue whine from the SNP Government about being excluded from EU meetings such as Fisheries in past years.

Now Alex Salmond’s opponents have accused the SNP of retreating from its long-standing position that an independent Scotland would have automatic membership of the European Union. The retreat has started as the SNP’s plans to join the EU get put under the microscope.

Opposition parties claim that the Scottish Government had altered its stance.

Our European cousins are quite blunt on this matter; a newly independent nation would have to reapply for EU membership. If you haven’t caught SNP MEP Alyn Smith on Newsnight Scotland on this subject then please watch it. It is a master class in living in denial.

George Foukles, the ex Labour MSP was made to look like a positive genius, albeit he was relying on other’s work.

Mr. Smith was dressed in black, appropriate for his own political funeral on air, all it needed was for him to have the lid screwed down and chucked in a hole.

As an MEP, I thought he would be up on the rules but in the years he has been in Brussels, he never distinguished himself by asking about membership of the EU. We know this because Ruth Davidson pulled out the ‘letter of destiny’ at the BBC Big Debate and blew Nicola Sturgeon out of the water.

It was ‘Hell in the Pacific’ that night for her, all she had left after that was banging the ‘freedom drum’ as she bobbed about in the water!

Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission has confirmed that if a territory became independent from an EU member country, existing treaties would “cease to apply” after independence.

This statement yet again questions the competence of the SNP Government; they are said by some to be either ignorant or trying to deceive the people of Scotland.    

Scotland if independence would have to apply in the normal manner.

Patricia Ferguson, Labour’s constitution spokeswoman said:

“The SNP have been telling the people of Scotland for years that EU membership wouldn’t be an issue and anybody who suggested differently was just scaremongering.”

Ferguson added:

“After weeks of turmoil on the EU, Alex Salmond and his government seem to have shifted their position and arrived at the conclusion many of us reached some time ago – that at best this is uncertain, and at worst an independent Scotland would have to join the euro and set up border controls with the rest of the United Kingdom.”

Jackson Carlaw, deputy leader of the Conservatives, said:

“First Alex Salmond asserts that EU membership is automatic. Then [Deputy First Minister Nicola] Sturgeon asserts that all Europe will be falling over themselves to keep us in. Now, John Swinney says it will all be subject to negotiation. The conduct of SNP ministers has been farcical on this most important of issues throughout.”

The EU view is longstanding and goes all the way back to 2004.

It is time that the SNP Government stopped talking out its arse and read a law book on contract, clearly we will not be members unless all the EU states agree, the contract remains solely with Westminster and isn’t transferable as they are the sovereign body that signed it, not holyrood.

Independence can be won in Scotland but not the way that Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon are carrying on, this campaign is a disaster, all the hard work done by SNP Activists and others has been totally wasted.

Its time to start telling the truth and making the big decisions.

And if Alex Salmond thinks shifting position and then claiming he and the SNP hasn’t will wash with the public, he is delusional.

You don’t have ideas Mr. Salmond, if you want my help to save this campaign make me an offer.

I don’t work cheap.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University