View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Monday 17 February 2014

Scottish independence and the EU

I have been watching a speech by Scotland's First Minister on the issue of the impending independence referendum, a speech that left me with profound misgivings. I disagree with Mr Salmond's ideas, and I am glad that I am in a position to do so.

Yesterday, EU president Barroso stated that Scotland would have to apply to join the EU after the eventuality of independence. Whether that is the case or not, is not the object of my post. Mr Salmond suggested that Mr Barroso's intervention should be read as not being prepared to accept the outcome of the referendum. Doing that, in my view, is wrong and misleading. I also find it profoundly disturbing that there is no acceptance of the rejection of the idea of a currency union by the leaders of all major UK parties. Yes, it's very clever to play the parties out against each other, that's basic political campaigning. But what happens, after the poll in September, there continues to be rejection by all partyleaders? No answer to that. My attitude remains unaltered. The Scottish National Party has been in existence for 80 years, and been in government for 7 years. During all that time, and particularly since 2007, they have not given thought to any substantive policies related to running a country. Whenever any issue is raised, there is an unhealthy scrabbling for a policy, and usually one that backfires spectacularly. I hope the Scots turn out to be as canny as they reputedly are.

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