Scotland Vows To Join European Union As Independent Nation But Spain Will Likely Try To Stop Them [VIDEO]

The Independent reports:

Nicola Sturgeon has said an independent Scotland would seek full membership of the European Union and dismissed suggestions the country would have to join the back of the queue. Scotland’s First Minister also said she was willing to have “reasonable discussions” with Theresa May over the timing of a new plebiscite but warned it would not be determined by what is convenient for Downing Street.

Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday, the SNP leader insisted she would apply for full membership and join with the other 27 member states after Brexit. But she rejected assertions that Scotland would have the join the back of the queue to do so. She added: “There is no queue to join the European Union and we have several voices over recent time saying that if Scotland wanted to be in the EU then there would be a very open, warm reception for that.”

It comes after Alfonso Dastis, the Spanish foreign minister, said: “Spain supports the integrity of the United Kingdom and does not encourage secessions or divisions in any of the member states. We prefer things as they are.” Mr Dastis added that Scotland would “have to queue, meet the requirements for entry, hold negotiations and the result would be that these negotiations would take place”.

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The EU warns that joining as a full member “is a complex procedure which does not happen overnight”. That currently includes having to join the euro — meaning that, should Scotland get that far, it must wave goodbye to the pound. Control of interest rates and other monetary policy will be handled by the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt. That is a lot farther away than London. It will also have to negotiate the size of its contribution to EU funds. And accession can be blocked by a single member state — like Spain, for example.

Separatist Scots can be forgiven for asking what they have done to annoy the government of Mariano Rajoy — Spain’s conservative prime minister — and his People’s party (PP). The answer is nothing. But at the last referendum the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow were filled not just with flags bearing the cross of St Andrew. The separatist flag of Catalonia — red and gold, with a white star on a blue triangle — was also being waved, as campaigners pursuing independence for their wealthy north-eastern corner of Spain marveled at the way their Scottish friends were being allowed to vote.

Rajoy’s real aim is to stop Catalan independence. If that means blocking Scotland from rejoining the EU for a time, then so be it. Just as Brussels wants the UK to be worse off after leaving the EU, as a warning to others tempted to follow the Brexit path, so Madrid would want Scotland to be worse off if it set the precedent of EU members states (which the UK still is) breaking up internally. That might help dissuade Catalans, Basques and others from trying to follow the same path.