‘Empathy’ for Scots joining the EU, says Donald Tusk
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has accused former EU Council president Donald Tusk of behaving in an “un-european” manner following comments he made about an independent Scotland joining the bloc.
Mr Tusk told the BBC’S Andrew Marr Show there would be enthusiasm if an independent Scotland sought to join, revealing he felt “very Scottish” following Brexit.
He said: “Emotionally I have no doubt that everybody would be
enthusiastic here in Brussels and more widely, more generally in Europe.” Mr Tusk added that he felt “empathy” for the position of Scotland.
But Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab hit out at the comments. He said: “I think it was frankly un-european and irresponsible given the secessionist, separatist tendencies in Spain, France and Italy.
“I’m not sure that European leaders, let alone here in the UK, would actually welcome that kind of language.”
Mr Raab insisted that Scotland will have a “great opportunity” to take advantage of the UK’S “levelling up” agenda.
He added: “At the same time, we ought to expect the SNP to live up to its commitment to honour the outcome of the independence referendum, not to keep coming back and asking for a second one.”
Mr Raab also dismissed the Scottish Government’s call for a separate visa system for Scotland to ensure immigration levels hold up after Brexit.
He said: “Either it’s unworkable or it’s going to be so draconian you would have to require people in the United Kingdom to stay in one part of the United Kingdom.”
He added: “But a lot of this is a distraction from the standards in schools, in the high levels of taxes that actually the job of the Scottish Government in discharging its responsibilities to the Scottish people ought to be focused on.”
SNP Foreign Affairs spokesman Alyn Smith hailed Mr Tusk. He said: “Donald Tusk’s comments underline the reality that Scotland would be welcomed back into the EU with open arms as an independent country.”