Scotland can still reap the benefits in EU deal
FORMER Scots Secretary DOUGLAS ALEXANDER – a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School – gives his views on Scotland, Britain and Brexit. And he calls for new powers over work permits and
student numbers. Yesterday, we discovered that Scotland has only narrowly avoided recession. Yet the fact that the Scottish economy grew only 0.5 per cent – compared to 1.9 per cent across the UK – confirms how worrying Scotland’s economic performance is.
These latest figures come against a backdrop of continuing uncertainty about the outcome of the Brexit negotiations that are due to conclude in March 2019.
We’re witnessing one form of nationalism taking us out of Europe, regardless of the consequences, so we should be wary of another form of nationalism repeating a similar mistake here in Scotland.
So, what is the way forward to secure a Brexit deal that could command widespread support?
First, after Brexit, areas of law previously within the competence of the EU will be returned to the UK. It is right that across devolved areas such as agriculture, fisheries and environmental protection, both power
and resources should be repatriated from Brussels to Edinburgh.
Second, the ability to issue work permits to skilled workers should be examined as a route to ensuring our economic needs are met.
Third, new constitutional arrangements could help ensure effective engagement with the EU on devolved issues such as education. Scotland’s universities benefit massively from European students and research funding.