Of all the lines in the Scottish Government’s White Paper on independence, perhaps the one rendered most contentious in light of Brexit appears in the Q&A section as question 267.
Q: Will independence have a negative effect on trade between Scotland and the rest of the UK and Europe?
A: No. As part of the EU, Scotland will remain part of the EU single market.
Here are some other White Paper quotes made before Brexit:
l “The Scottish Government, supported by the overwhelming majority of Members of the Scottish Parliament, believes that membership of the EU is in the best interests of Scotland. It is our policy, therefore, that an independent Scotland will continue as a member of the EU.”
l “Scotland will not be an accession state. We will negotiate the transition from being an EU member as part of the UK to becoming an independent member of the EU from within the EU.”
l “This Government will not seek membership of the Schengen area. Instead, an independent Scotland will remain an integral part of the broader social union of close economic, social and cultural ties across the nations of the UK (including the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) and Ireland.”
l “An essential part of this social union, and one that will be fully maintained with independence, is the free movement of nationals between Scotland and the rest of the UK and Ireland.”
l “There are no circumstances in which the Scottish Government would countenance any measure being taken that jeopardized the ability of citizens across the rest of the UK and Ireland to move freely across our borders as they are presently able to do.”
l “It is for this reason that following independence Scotland will remain part of the Common Travel Area (CTA), which dates back to the 1920s.”
Q: When will Scotland begin negotiations to join the EU?
A: Following a vote for independence in the 2014 referendum, the Scottish Government will immediately enter into negotiations with Westminster and EU member states to ensure that an independent Scotland achieves a smooth and timely transition to independent membership of the European Union.
Q: Will Scotland have security posts at the land border with England?
A: No. Erecting border controls with Scotland would be inconvenient for all Common Travel Area partners, including Scotland and the rest of the UK, and will not be in the interests of any party. Our shared history, culture and borders make the Common Travel Area of benefit to all of the territories within it.
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