IndyRef2: Expert outlines a possible 'major impediment'
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Political expert Allan Little argued that the conversation regarding Scottish independence had not yet reached the point of discussing rejoining the EU. While speaking to a panel hosted by Professor Mark Bevir, Director, UC Berkeley Center for British Studies, Mr Little insisted a land border between Scotland and England would be a “major impediment”. Professor Bevir also noted countries like Spain and Italy would likely oppose Scotland attempting to rejoin the EU.
Mr Little admitted the SNP had yet to start discussions about whether the European Union would welcome an independent Scotland into its midst.
He told Prof Bevir: “I think the answer is no.
“We haven’t really begun to have that debate in Scotland yet.
“The assumption is that Scotland would go back into the EU.”
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Mr Little also reflected on whether it would be wise for Scotland to immediately attempt to rejoin the EU.
He continued: “The other debate we need to have is, no matter how strongly you favour European Union membership, whether it would be wise for an independent Scotland, at least in the short term, to be a member of the EU.
“This would set up a land border with England and there are certainly some people in the SNP who are saying to begin with, for the first few years, as well as sharing the currency with England we would have to be part of a customs union with the rest of the United Kingdom.
“This is because erecting a land border with England would be highly problematic and certainly in the short term.
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“It is a major impediment to joining the EU.
“So no, we haven’t started to have that conversation and that would be something that would be highly charged in any referendum campaign.”
Prof Bevir had previously questioned whether EU member states struggling with strong separatist movements would back demands from Edinburgh to join the union.
He said: “I am wondering how much discussion there is Scotland about the extent of leaving the UK would be followed by entering the European Union.
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“Are people very sanguine about that?
“Do they think countries like Spain and Italy will have a problem with admitting a state that has just devolved from a larger state?
“Spain must be thinking about its vast population and Italy about its north separatists.
“I can imagine an awful lot of European countries would rather not admit a state that has just succeeded from another.”
Spain’s central government has been at loggerheads with pro-independence politicians in Catalonia ever since the failed referendum in 2017.
Italy has also been coping with several political movements demanding independence for parts of the country.
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