| Won't Independence mean losing the influence in Europe which comes from being part of the UK? |
| Wednesday, 18 March 2009 14:52 |
| That question assumes that the UK presently uses its influence to help Scotland. Most Scottish fishermen, and many others, would tell a different story. Only with Independence will Scottish elected representatives go to Europe to speak up for Scottish priorities. We must compare the influence of a small EU state, which can be considerable, with Scotland’s present complete lack of any direct representation in the key European institutions. Anti-Independence commentators have pointed to the 29 votes which the UK will have on the Council of Ministers after the Nice Treaty, compared to seven for a country the size of Scotland. Which in fact would mean that, under the Nice Treaty, an independent England and Scotland, combining together on those issues on which they wished to cooperate, would enjoy a greater number of votes than they would as the United Kingdom. |
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