Europe dream an SNP fantasy

Sir, - The SNP’s ‘independence’ saga continues ad nauseam. Despite all the claims made by both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon about Scotland continuing as an EU member, we now know that this is all just balderdash.

We are all now fully aware that a newly emerging, independent Scotland would have to apply for membership, and would have to accept all the terms applying to a new member.

Irrespective of all the false claims being made by the SNP, Scotland would not be regarded as a continuing state of the EU since it is the UK which is the member state. It has also been made clear that an independent Scotland would have to wait until 2020 or beyond before its application would even be considered, and then would have to conform to certain entry conditions. These include: deficit reduction – it should be remembered that Scotland’s economy is at present in deficit to the tune of £9.5 billion – and membership of the euro; as a new entrant to the EU, Scotland would have no option but to join the eurozone. Additionally, there is absolutely no guarantee Scotland’s application would be approved since there would undoubtedly be opposition from countries with similar separatist problems, such as Spain.

If the people of Scotland should ever decide to back the SNP in its quest to break up the UK, they will be entering the ‘great unknown’ in several other areas: the need to establish a central bank; establish its own defence forces, and apply to join Nato; implement a foreign office, with embassies and consulates.

Is it just the case that Nicola Sturgeon is hoping for a place in history as the woman who broke the 300-yearold union between Scotland and England? There is certainly no political or economic sense in her whole campaign. Robert IG Scott. Northfield, Ceres.