| Isn’t Independence in Europe just exchanging one union for another? |
| Wednesday, 18 March 2009 14:41 |
| The SNP recognises that Europe is a forum for independent countries to work together. It is certainly not a unitary, centralised state like the UK. Nobody would seriously say that EU states like Finland or Italy are not independent countries. But as part of the UK, Scotland has no Independence. There is no comparison between the centralist structures of the UK, and those of the EU, where member states co-operate but retain their sovereignty. For instance, the Scottish Parliament, even were it to use all the tax powers available to it, would still only control 5% of its revenues. If we were an independent country, we would control 99% of them – everything except our EU receipts. There is clearly no comparison between these two kinds of union. The fact of becoming independent in Europe doesn’t give any power away to Brussels – at present Scotland doesn’t have any sovereignty at all. In fact Independence in Europe gives Scotland a say in Brussels it has never had before. That will allow us to play our part in ensuring that the EU acts as a buffer to the excesses of globalisation, as well as stands up for the economic and environmental issues that matter to all of Europe’s citizens. Though the SNP is a strongly pro-European party, like most people in Europe, the SNP wants national governments to retain control over many key issues like their countries’ taxation, spending, and constitutions. |
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