WHEN I read Toni Giugliano, SNP’s policy convenor, calling for a vision for independent Scotland in Europe to be outlined, I admit my first reaction was, here we go again, anything to avoid the real issue, the date of the referendum (An ‘EU mindset’ needed for indy, Jan 30).
However, given we hold to the timing of the referendum before the end of next year, isn’t he actually quite right?
The referendum is a process; the vision of what Scotland should be is the reason for winning it.
A currency we can control, caring for citizens, ethical foreign policy, sharing sovereignty with commercial relationships to benefit us, our relationship with rUK, these are just some of the important matters. If we see where we can go, won’t that encourage us to go there?
READ MORE: SNP’s Toni Giugliano calls for vision for independent Scotland in Europe to be outlined
The UK union is the departure point; Scotland’s future that we can all help make is the destination.
We are living through dire political times, where the standards we believed in for generations have been shown to be a tissue of fabrication; standards so easily cast aside on the altar of greed for power without substance, no longer any pretence we’re all on the same side, all equal before parliament and the law.
By looking beyond the referendum and victory from it, we Scots can engage in the conversation about the kind of Scotland we can build, the legacy of hope and optimism we can bequeath to our children, and theirs.
Toni is right, let’s believe the process will prevail. Let’s all pitch in our ideas for the Scotland we deserve and can realise.
Jim Taylor
Edinburgh
WITH reference to a possible referendum on EU membership, there would appear to be two important decisions to be taken at this stage:
a) What would be the most beneficial option for a newly independent Scotland, and
b) Would a referendum after a Yes vote have tactical advantages in the Yes campaign?
Regarding a), one possible alternative to EU membership would be to seek to join EFTA. The main benefits to this option would appear to be i) separate trade deals can be arranged with both EU and non-EU countries (eg England); ii) Scotland could retain its own currency and this currency could be floating; iii) the fact that Scotland would join an association which included Norway and Iceland and hence would control a large chunk of Europe’s wind/wave energy, fish and oil and gas, which should give that group a strong position in negotiations with the EU and rUK.
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As against the above, Scotland would have no direct representation in the EU and would be a rule-taker regarding trade, immigration etc. However, I have to wonder how much power Scotland on its own within the EU would have to counter the desires of the other 27 countries.
With reference to b) above, I think that an EU/EFTA referendum following a Yes vote would have the following tactical benefits:
i) A significant portion of Scots voted against EU membership in the Brexit referendum. The chance of an EFTA alternative as described above might persuade some of those to vote for independence.
ii) I am assuming here that an EU/EFTA referendum would include a detailed examination of the advantages and disadvantages of each option. This examination and the resulting vote might be valuable if the going gets tough in the early days of a newly independent Scotland. Those in charge can then point to a democratic choice made by Scotland’s people. The counter-argument seems to be that unless unequivocal EU membership is on offer, folk will not vote for independence. This seems puzzling to me as their alternative in this scenario would be remaining in a non-EU country.
R Millar
Darvel
I HAVE some sympathy with the points raised in Steve Arnott’s long letter (Conflating questions about indy and EU membership is folly, Feb 1) but I’d like to raise some problems with that standpoint.
It’s true that most voters in Scotland are politically further to the left than most of Europe and certainly than England. But Scotland needs to trade with the rest of the world, and a leftist market is somewhat elusive these days. And bear in mind that one of the reasons why England was manipulated into rejecting the EU was that millionaires saw the EU moving in the more progressive direction of encouraging governments to start taxing them properly.
Add to that the strong likelihood that a lot of the SNP supporters who voted Leave have had their eyes open by how Brexit has turned out, and the effect will probably be much less than the 30% might suggest.
However I can see that Unionists could use the conflation issue as a wedge. So maybe a good compromise would be two referendums, with the promise of an EU referendum within months of a successful Yes vote.
Derek Ball
Bearsden
“I GET it and I will fix it,” says Boris. Well as far as I’m concerned he already tried to fix it and now he’s getting it – right in the neck!
Bill Drew
Kirriemuir
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