ANOTHER week, another invitation from Alex Salmond for Scots to join him in a pity party. This time the SNP leader used a leaked draft report from the Scottish Executive to say that Scotland's interests weren't being represented properly in the European Union.
Amidst his selective quotes, Salmond missed out a couple of facts. One: his policy of Scotland leaving the United Kingdom would also mean Scotland left the EU. That is a factual matter of European law which the European Commission and leading academics agree on.
We would then, at best, be at the end of a very long queue of countries wishing to join the EU. We would have to rely on the French people to sanction our membership in a referendum when they would also decide on Turkey's application.
Two:heconvenientlyleftoutthe main conclusion of the report. It stated: "As one of the big four member states within the EU, the UK is a very powerful player. There is no more effectivea position for Scotland than having one of the most influential member states representing Scotland's interests within all three of the EU Institutions."
Indeed, the whole tenor of the report wasthatrelationshipsbetweenthe Scottish Executive and Whitehall should be closer, not severed.
As a former minister for Europe, I know how the European Union works. Scotland's voice is heard and heard all the louder by our European partners because of our partnership within the UK.
And the idea that the UK Cabinet, with Gordon Brown, John Reid, Alistair Darling, Des Browne and myself, is one where Scotland's voice is not heard, is frankly preposterous. But the SNP want to fight the forthcoming election with shallow soundbites, rather than deep policy analysis.
It is understandable why - their arguments have no intellectual coherence and can't stand up to rigorous analysis.
Take their policy on what currency they say they would use in an independent Scotland. Making it up as he goes along in a TV studio the other week, Salmond said it would be sterling.
So, an independent Scotland would have its interest rates set by what would then be a foreign central bank, the Bank of England. Then he wants to join the euro. Salmond has to explain why interest rates set in London are wrong for Scotland but one set in Frankfurt would be right. He has to explain why giving Brussels control over public spending andborrowingwouldgiveScotland more freedom.
I and my colleagues would rather celebrateScotland'ssuccessandthe strength we get from our partnership in the UK. Alexwouldn't come to that party - pity.
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