Effect of Scottish Independence Vote

TCA

CLAPTON wrote: »

the membership criteria are well established: many countries have joined over the last few years: there are no secrets here as joining requires the agreement of the current members there can be no certainty

Nobody is questioning that membership requires agreement all round and of course there's no certainty. One major factor/question is whether the SNP's desire to "apply from within" under Article 48 is possible. Knowing the answer to that would remove a rather large chunk of uncertainty. To just say the nationalists are blaming everyone else is a poor argument. The UK government can easily ask for EU guidance on this issue and then we'd all know what could or couldn't be done. A process would be defined and a set of criteria established. But it's a lot easier for Westminster not to bother and bluster on about Scotland being thrown out the EU. They have the ability to request more information. Whether or not Scotland can meet the EU membership requirements is another question but I strongly believe there will be a political will for their continued membership and the EU would lay a framework for that to happen, but that doesn't suit the unionist cause at all, so uncertainty rules.

Marazan

cloud_dog wrote: »

This is common to a fair amount of the discussion..... Surely Holyrood should be instigating these discussions with the EC, its in their own interest to have a confirmed position (or perhaps not).

As the letter from the EC I posted the link to says - the EC will only respond to a request by a competent member. Only the UK counts as a competent member on this issue.

DCodd

CLAPTON wrote: »

another fantasy as to why every problem is some-one else's fault.

the formal view of the EU is as unlikely to clear up the issues as asking Alex or Nicola a question

it would probably comprise what we know: that Scotland would have to apply and meet the know conditions and then the member states would have to agree etc etc.

how would that move you forward?

And that is the problem.

After calls for Westminster to say if Scotland could have the pound or not. When the answer came and it was not what the SNP wanted to hear, they either ignored the answer or accused Westminster of being dictatorial!

God knows what the reaction would be if Westminster approached the EU and the EU announced that Scotland would have to apply for membership!

TCA

cloud_dog wrote: »

This is common to a fair amount of the discussion..... Surely Holyrood should be instigating these discussions with the EC, its in their own interest to have a confirmed position (or perhaps not).

The Scottish Government cannot instigate this kind of request. It has to come from a member state, in Scotland's case, the UK government. The SNP have repeatedly requested this but Westminster refuses point blank.

Marazan

rpc wrote: »

No speculation is needed

Really? No speculation at all? Then you can answer me this question. - If the people of Scotland vote for independence on the 18th of September how long will it take for the vote on Scotland's membership of the EU to take place?

TCA

DCodd wrote: »

And that is the problem.

After calls for Westminster to say if Scotland could have the pound or not. When the answer came and it was not what the SNP wanted to hear, they either ignored the answer or accused Westminster of being dictatorial!

God knows what the reaction would be if Westminster approached the EU and the EU announced that Scotland would have to apply for membership!

I think you'll find that they won't ignore the currency answer entirely, despite current protestations.

Yes, God might know about the EU but nobody else does. The only person that can ask the question doesn't want to. Why do you think that is? If it was going to be so impossible for Scotland to retain membership, why don't the unionists get official confirmation from the EU and sink the SNP dead in the water?

Archi_Bald

Marazan wrote: »

how long will it take for the vote on Scotland's membership of the EU to take place?

Ages. It won't be a a matter of a simple vote. Accession does take ages. Also, Scotland have to be a country first before they can apply.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlargement_of_the_European_Union

DCodd

TCA wrote: »

I think you'll find that they won't ignore the currency answer entirely, despite current protestations.

Yes, God might know about the EU but nobody else does. The only person that can ask the question doesn't want to. Why do you think that is? If it was going to be so impossible for Scotland to retain membership, why don't the unionists get official confirmation from the EU and sink the SNP dead in the water?

You see I don't believe that only Westminster can ask the question. Every new member negotiates prior to becoming a member, there is an EU commissioner office in Edingburgh representing the needs and wants of Scotland now. Are you truly saying that IF the EU wanted to answer the question that they couldn't?

Is it not more likely that the EU are not answering the question prior to the referendum in order to placate certain member states within the EU?

TCA

planteria wrote: »

well, you seem to rate the Scottish nations combined intelligence more lowly than i do;). 'going for the pound' when it obviously can't be had is farcical.

Until last week nobody had ruled it out and it stood as the SNP's preferred option. Did you really expect Salmond and co to immediately say "ok thanks, we'll just go for our own currency then"?

Archi_Bald

TCA wrote: »

The SNP have repeatedly requested this but Westminster refuses point blank.

TCA wrote: »

The only person that can ask the question doesn't want to.

You seem know more about this than I do, but I have never heard any of the Yes campaign complaining that they demanded an answer and none was forthcoming because Westminster blocked it. Have you got any links regarding this matter?