What Scotland wants

The Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly have no authority over foreign affairs and treaties. As such it is difficult to see how they can obstruct the UK Parliament in launching Article 50, The Great Repeal Bill nor the final Brexit agreement. All three nations after all are fully represented in the UK Parliament, indeed significantly over represented in terms of their population.

Clearly majorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. However the majority in England & Wales to leave were much larger. The vote was clearly a single national vote and as such the result must be seen in that way.

The only viable option for the Scots is to hold a second independence referendum. (A point Ms Sturgeon is currently backing away from due to polling evidence that remaining with the UK is more popular than staying with the EU). The problem is going to be that with the launch of Article 50 in March 2017, a Scottish Referendum will have to be held before March 2019 or the Scots will find themselves outside the EU and re applying for membership with unacceptable conditions such as euro membership etc. Therefore the SNP loses control of timing, and the loss of a second referendum within a few years of the first would almost certainly end the issue for very many years.

The ultimate point is, we were asked the question and have given the answer. There is no one of any standing suggesting that this can mean at least anything other than control over borders and removal of the authority of the ECJ. Those points alone must mean a hard Brexit.

What Scotland wants - commentaires

What Scotland wants