Scottish independence: Alex Salmond and unpopular Nicola Sturgeon see their EU membership blow up in their faces, No new EU members for 5 years says EU President, George Laird gets it right 6 weeks ago on assessment and halt to EU expansion

Dear All

Scotland’s ‘jolly fat man’ Alex Salmond and unpopular Nicola Sturgeon are seeing their independence campaign literally die a death of a thousands each day.

On the issue of membership of the European Union, it has been blunder after blunder; assertion isn’t of fact, lies instead of truth. As the readership knows, I do write about the EU from time to time and not just in relation to the Scottish independence campaign.

The European Union has the potential to be a great institution, the trouble is that the EU hasn’t evolved properly, it lacks direction and to some extent purpose. The problems of the organisation have festered over years; real reform has been put off through a lack of political will.

In EU countries, it is hardly surprising that there has been a rise of the right wing political element bolstered by support from the people, the expression of this in the UK is Ukip.

They won the EU election of 2014; an historic victory not seen in over 100 years, where neither the government nor main opposition party won the majority of seats.

Ukip is the lightening rod that ordinary people have been drawn to because the main political parties have stopped listening to people some considerable time ago. Today, I was listening to a speech on youtube given by a new Ukip MEP who partly blamed the EU for the troubles between Russia and the Ukraine. All I will say on that ‘gem of wisdom’ is that it was an inappropriate speech, and judging by the look of Diane James, Ukip MEP behind him, she might agree with me. Ukip need to employ someone as a thinker to raise their profile in a good way and do away with stunts and gesture politics.

At the start of last month, I did an article on the 3^rd June stating that the European project needed reform and an assessment carried out; also I said that there should be a halt to EU expansion. I have been saying this for some time because the project faces a difficult time over the next few years.

http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/tony-blair-notes-that-rise-of-ukip-is.html 

Also If you think back to 2012, Scotland’s unpopular Deputy Nicola Sturgeon was at the BBC Big Debate which I also attended. I spoke and said the SNP needed to go pro Nato and pro Faslane, on both issues I was proved right. Ruth Davidson also attended that programme and pulled out a letter which said the SNP had neither as an opposition or Government ever sought advice from the EU on membership.  After that programme, we had the most pathetic spectacle of unpopular Nicola Sturgeon trying to hawk herself round Europe trying to give the impression that she was creating a dialogue with European Officials.

As some people say ‘Bollocks’!

The EU in the form of then President Jose Manuel Barroso blew her off when the SNP Deputy leader wanted a meeting. A meeting with unpopular Nicola Sturgeon talking tripe about automatic EU membership and phantom EU legal advice which never existed, Barroso wisely got his Deputy to fire off the standard letter.

No thanks!

Barroso joins the long list of men and women who have rejected Ms. Sturgeon in some form or another.

As part of the Sturgeon pitch failed, she then tried to put forward another tack and argument, the prospect of an independent Scotland joining the European Union within 18 months of a Yes vote.

How did this ‘strategic mastermind’ come up with this one, someone just made it up based on assumption, then an ex EU official then said that was possible.

Hey presto, instant ‘fact’ just add water, Sturgeonesque logic!

To return to my post of 3^rd June which mentions a halt to expansion, the new President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker has called for a five-year freeze on EU enlargement. Actually, it needs to be ten years, but as most people know, sooner or later everyone comes round to the George Laird view.

Before Juncker was in post; Prime Minister David Cameron was leading a lot of opposition against his appointment. The Scottish National Party went the other way, they said they could ‘work with him’; well his keynote speech has shattered their plans.

I have stated and I will state again, there is a genuine lack of talent in the SNP. Looking at what he says, if Scotland became independent, and the five year freeze is in place, that means, no EU funding between 2016 and 2019, this also raises the question of when EU law would become void in Scotland.

I seriously doubt the ‘white paper’ has a provision for an enabling act between 2016 and a successful membership application. And there is no guarantee that in 2019 there would be a successful bid due to the right of veto of the 28 members. This also has implications for what currency would be available for Scotland if there was a successful independence bid. This leads onto another issue which I said was essential, the preparation for a Scottish currency, the Euro would be ruled out as would access to the European Central Bank and lender of last resort to bail out Scotland in the event of a financial collapse such as the banking crisis.

Juncker told EU lawmakers that the Union must “consolidate what has been done with 28” current members. It is too early to see how his Presidency will pan out, but he certainly has made a good start and it should calm David Cameron’s concerns that Juncker is ‘old Europe’.

The Scottish Government’s position that Scotland would secure its EU membership as an independent country by March 2016 by Alex Salmond and unpopular Nicola Sturgeon is looking increasingly bizarre. The EU won’t enter in talks until after matters between Westminster and the Scottish Government were concluded if indy was successful.

So March 2016 was never possible! And that SNP claim that Scotland is already in the EU and would only have to renegotiate its membership terms is utter rubbish, this bogus claim is deception, an outright bareface deception attempted on the Scottish people to make them think Scotland has a contract with the EU regarding membership. It doesn’t because the contract is held solely by Westminster and as such it isn’t transferable. Scotland leaves the UK, it also leaves the EU.

In trying to make capital out of the Tory reshuffle down south, Alex Salmond claims that the appointment of Philip Hammond as Foreign Secretary in today’s UK cabinet reshuffle “has put one hand on the exit door leading the UK out of the European Union”.

No, it doesn’t, this is just Alex Salmond scaremongering because he can’t argue on the basis of facts. Philip Hammond in my opinion is not the best choice for Foreign Sec but UK Cabinet responsibility means he will not uses his position to undermine the UK position in official dealings.

President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker said:

“There will be no new enlargement in the next five years. The EU needs to mark a pause in its enlargement process so that we can consolidate what has been done with 28.”

3^rd June, George Laird wrote that the EU needed to carry an assessment and call a halt to EU expansion until such time an assessment was finished and new direction established.

George Laird right again!

Time for a quote:

“My problem is that I have too many talented people and not enough Cabinet positions”.

Alex Salmond.

Is there an explanation for the Sturgeon failure on the EU other than gross stupidity?

Some time ago, I received a rather snide comment on the blog from a cybernat which stated, ‘why did I think I should be the SNP leader at Glasgow City Council when you have never even served on a Community Council?’

Surely the answer to that question is rather obvious now?

Maybe unpopular Nicola Sturgeon should apply to join a community council to get some ‘experience’ because apparently that is considered by some Nationalists as entry level for those of low calibre and little ability. She could sit there talking shite in a surrounding and atmosphere were hugginess and empathy abound.

Unpopular Nicola Sturgeon just an embarrassment.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University