Barroso’s blow to Scot exit plan
THE PRESIDENT of the European Commission has dealt a crushing blow to Scotland’s hopes of joining the EU if it becomes independent, claiming it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible”.
During an appearance on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show yesterday, Jose Manuel Barroso said Scotland would be forced to apply for new membership and get the agreement of all existing EU members in order to become a new state.
“It will be extremely difficult to get the approval of all the other member states to have a new member coming from one member state,” Barroso said.
He added that he did not wish to influence the independence vote which takes place later this year, but warned that Spain’s veto of Kosovo’s accession could be a sign of problems to come if the Scots choose to leave the United Kingdom.
The Scottish National Party responded with anger to the president’s comments, with deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon calling the claims preposterous. “Scotland is already in the EU and has been for 40 years,” she said. “The fact of the matter is that no member state has said that it would veto Scotland’s continuing membership. The question Mr Barroso was asked was would Scotland be welcome. Every indication we have is that the answer to that question is yes.”
Sturgeon’s comments were echoed by Scottish finance minister John Swinney, who added that Spain had made positive noises about an agreement between Scotland and the UK over EU membership. Alistair Darling, leader of the Better Together campaign, said the SNP is asking voters to take a leap into the unknown. “Alex Salmond is a man without a plan on currency and Europe. The wheels are falling off the independence wagon. Instead of more bluff and bluster it’s time for Alex Salmond to face up to reality,” he said.
The fresh blow comes just days after Westminster politicians united to warn that Scotland would not be allowed to keep the pound if it became independent.