EU beyond our grasp

Sir, - A great many column inches are being devoted to the issue of a post-independent Scotland joining the EU. Despite this, there appears to be a few obvious truths which have not come to the fore.

For example, only when an independent Scotland has a stable currency will it be able to be considered for EU membership.

This would surely take years, depending on trade and border agreements with the rest of the UK, to say nothing of the introduction of the new currency itself.

It is also likely that this new currency would be less strong than the pound, with any loss of value magnifying the size of our share of the national debt.

The currency issue also ties in with our much-publicised deficit.

The government of a newly independent Scotland would surely shirk away from an immediate package of austerity measures, instead borrowing heavily to create the effect of an independent land of milk and honey. Our deficit would consequently soar.

As we are all aware, Scotland’s electorate leans more to the left than the rest of the UK and would have little appetite for tackling an independent Scotland’s deficit.

It seems obvious that our eventual meeting of the fiscal criteria for EU membership would be perpetually beyond the horizon.

Brian Anderson. 54 Cloanden Place, Kirkcaldy.