Best of 3 First Minister? Do not be fooled - Nicola
Sturgeon's fresh bid for an independent Scotland doesn't just set a dangerous
precedent for democracy, but it demonstrates divisive political opportunism at
a time when the UK needs unity more than ever. Once again the precious union of
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Island finds itself under threat, and we
mustn’t just expose the narrow motives of those who seek to tear us apart, but
we must also make the positive and confident case to save our union.
Ever since Scots decisively rejected independence in
September 2014, being hailed as "once in a generation, once in a lifetime
opportunity" (by Sturgeon herself), the SNP have proved that their
constitutional obsession will never cease, and that they will ideologically
seek independence at any cost. Whilst they have desperately tried to label
Brexit as the reason behind the new push towards independence, it is beyond
doubt that even if the UK had voted to remain within the EU, the SNP still
would've demanded a second referendum, or a third, or a fourth - until they get
the result they want. So, far from putting the Scottish national interest
first, Nicola Sturgeon has once again shown that her own narrow ambitions will
always come before Scotland; a country that I believe simply wishes to bury the
divisions of the past and move forward.
Whilst it was inevitable that the SNP were always going to
demand another referendum, the timing in this instance is not just
opportunistic, but if anything, it will breed and foster further division and
hatred not just across Scotland, but the whole of the UK too. After 2
referendums and a general election in the space of just 3 years, the country
now needs time to heal and come back together, especially in the light of the truly
historic circumstances in which we find ourselves. Once again, this
demonstrates that Nicola Sturgeon quite frankly doesn’t care about the
destructive impact that her constitutional obsession will have. She is pitting
one against the other - literally polarising the nation, which fails to
understand a basic principle - politics is not a game.
Political manoeuvring aside, the SNP’s case for independence
must be assessed. Firstly, there’s the obvious obstacle of EU membership.
Sturgeon’s hopes for a referendum between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019 is based
on the premise that should Scotland vote for independence, this would allow
them to retain their membership of the EU just before the UK leaves. However,
this is quite simply a fabrication and manipulation of what is known to be
true. A spokesman for the European Commission said earlier this week that
Scotland would not be granted automatic access to the EU if it split from the
rest of the UK. He alluded to the Barroso doctrine (referencing former commission
president Jose Mauel Barroso), who set out the legal view that if one part of
an EU country became an independent state it would have to apply for EU
membership. This entails joining the euro, having interests rates and other
monetary policy dictated by the European Central Bank, making hefty budget
contributions, surrendering sovereignty, and joining the Schengen free travel
area. It appears as though Nicola Sturgeon seems reluctant to admit this to the
Scottish people, perhaps because her case for independence is based on
deception and lies. Therefore, the SNP aren’t offering Scotland independence,
they’re offering them independence under the jurisdiction and rule of
Brussels.
Not only does Scotland face the prospect of being cut off
from the UK and the EU, it faces a future outside of NATO too. NATO's
secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said this week that an independent Scotland
would "not automatically" become a member of the military alliance,
stating that it would have to gain the approval of all 28 allies before it
could re-join as a new country. In this case, it faces several barriers to
accession. Just as Scotland faces the prospect of having its entry to the EU
challenged by Spain (which is facing difficulty at home with increasing calls for
independence in Catalonia), the SNP’s opposition to nuclear weapons may prove
fatal in any bid to rejoin NATO. The defence bloc considers nuclear weapons a
"core component" of its defence, meaning that Scotland would find
itself in a extremely difficult position.
In light of this, it becomes clear that Scottish
independence according to the SNP entails a future of isolation and
irrelevance; cut off from the UK, the EU and Nato. But as the UK looks to a
global future involving not only expanding our ties beyond the EU, but forging
bold new trade deals, strengthening relationships with old friends and making
new allies in the world too, the argument for Scotland to retain its position
in the union has never been stronger. We are on a path to greater prosperity
and strength, and Scotland should very much remain at the heart of this. Brexit
doesn’t just us the chance to make ambitious new trading arrangements with the
potential of bringing greater investment and freer exports, but it also allows
us the opportunity to redistribute power and take back control. Truthfully, the
sovereignty and power that is repatriated to Westminster from Brussels
shouldn’t just stop there, but it should go to Holyrood, Cardiff and Belfast,
and even to the regions of the UK too. The SNP on the other have been
continuously criticised for centralising power and control in Holyrood.
Therefore, remaining part of the global visionary that is the UK seems to be
Scotland’s best opportunity to further prosper and thrive.
Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP think they have our union on the
ropes - they are playing at politics as though it were a game. If we have the
courage to not only show that their case for independence is intrinsically
flawed, but proudly fight for the positive future our union can have, we will
once again win.
Lead photo provided by author.
Our Union is Under Threat - We Must Defend it | Alfie Dewdney
Reviewed by Student Voices
on
21:11
Rating:
Interesting, good read
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