EU nations flat out refuse to negotiate with Scotland & won't let Scotland stay in the EU

[BritBrit]

Bosses of the EU & EU nations such as France & Spain have said they will not negotiate with Scotland & will not discuss Scotland joining the EU. They will only negotiate with the UK as a whole

Will this impact on a 2nd independence referendum? e.g. Scotland would have to reapply to join, adopt the Euro/Schengen etc. Spain also hint that if Scotland were to reapply after the UK leaves they would block them joining, clearly concerned over Catalonia

Immaterial how determined Nicola is for Scotland to remain in the EU. It's plain she's well aware she faces stern resistance from at last count 6 EU nations. Pure posturing. She would have to lie convince the Scottish voters that the £15 billion deficit currently funded by UK gov could be managed without tax increases and service cuts, the adoption of the Euro is just fine and a secure border between England and Scotland would be manageable.

How the fuck does she think Scotland will meet the EU's economic criteria??

Scotland has a functional economy & would meet the criteria. When the Uk joined the EEC in the 1970s there was stagflation which required intervention by the Fed Res & a bailout from the IMF. Scotland's economy might not be in that great shape at the moment but if it was really that bad we would be receiving regional dev funding like Wales & Cornwall from the EU.

More brilliant news OP!!! Sturgeon did know before she walked in there, the stance Spain had taken on the Catalans? Sturgeon gambled on swinging some 'spite' support, and long term, that never reflects well.

The ONLY route, is an Indy ref, but its a fundamental error on her part, to think a remain vote, is an Indy vote.

An interesting thought though, she will have to have the Indy ref, then go to Brussels for terms, then have an EU ref based on those terms. Thats a lot of ref-ing.

The good people of Scotland will do the right thing, for them. Lets just hope she doesnt ask the pollsters before she trys to pull one, theyre not having a great year

The staying in the EU is a non starter. That leaves indyref2. Ergo £15 billion needs to be raised somehow and if EU membership is achieved an extra £1.5 billion membership fee plus as a "rich" nation Scotland would be a contributor to the EU pot.

She doesn't need pollsters, Chris. She can see the results of the referendum.

As an English-speaking state, Scotland would be attractive to US firms seeking a foot inside the EU. They are going to need an alternative to England.

patty have you got the figures a bit mixed up there?

i'm glad to hear NS's posturing being put in to context. She shouldn't think she can go around negotiating on Scotland's behalf whilst being part of the UK.

I agree corcory. I hate the way she has taken advantage of this to pursue her party's agenda. Although unfortunately she's not the only one !

mathanxiety, my point being, the scotland vote was based on the current eu/uk terms. The EU question post independance, will be on different terms. You cant assume a yes vote, when theres a possibility that it now means the end of the scottish £ dream and Hadrians wall going back up.

The US already have an alternative to England. Its called Ireland. Why are the scots so dismissive about Irelands value? And do you think the US want to be drawn into a 300 year old resentment issue?

I think the Scots would be very happy to dump the pound right now, and to see gleaming new bank HQs safely on the north side of Hadrian's wall.

The US doesn't care about resentment, and if it did, Ireland wold not be the place for US companies to locate.

I would hate to dump the pound for the Euro. And Spain would block us from entering the EU anyway.

As an English-speaking state, Scotland would be attractive to US firms seeking a foot inside the EU. They are going to need an alternative to England

They already have one: Ireland.

Yes indeed, and being Irish I am aware of the opportunity offered by Brexit. But many execs have children in school in England and ties there that might be easier to maintain if their work was in Scotland.

Reading the papers today and there is some encouraging news about Scotland being put in a transitional holding pen whilst rest of UK leaves and Scotland retaining its full EU status upon gaining independence. I would most definitely welcome this, and would pave the way for jobs to move up North. Funnily enough it is in the Daily Mail but the comments section has been disabled which is annoying as i would have liked to see what DM readers made of that.

Ive put the link in for you wibble wobble (though Im not sure if DM articles are even allowed to be discussed on MN

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-3667954/EU-transitional-holding-pen-talks-Scotland-way--former-EC-adviser.html

Ive only scanned it, and it is the DM, but what I read is, despite the positive terminology and all the hugging this week, theyve given Sturgeon a deadline.

The referendum must be held before the summer of 2017.
No UK terms will be given i.e. the euro, budget rebates etc. so it still stands by its 'new member' status.

IF, Scotland is indeed Independant by then, then and only then, they may consider some kind of 'transitional' holding pen, IF Brexit is looming (and thus needed)

I fear, they are simply enforcing what will need to happen. Indy ref. Then talk terms with Brussels. Then Indy ref to stay in EU.

Technically all that could happen before the UK finally Brexits in which case theres no need for a 'transitional holding pen'. The mention of Summer 2017 leads me to beleive, that that is how theyd prefer it. Sturgeons been given a deadline to either sort it all out pre Brexit, or simply come back as an Independant state at anytime in the future. But either way, its new terms all round.