referenda or ums

[jimcee]

Here is a dilemma.
We have one of these beasts on Independance next October.
We also have one threatened (date unspecified) on membership of the EEC.
If independance were to come first presumably there would be no question of withdrawing from the EEC, as it seems to be a major plank of the SNP to continue membership.
Biut what would happen if the UK opted to sever membership of the EEC before the Independance vote.
This may all sound a bit complicated, but I would prefer to be an independant Scotland within the EEC than a UK outwith the organisation.
Nail biting stuff?

[NickB]

Here is a dilemma.
We have one of these beasts on Independance next October.
We also have one threatened (date unspecified) on membership of the EEC.
If independance were to come first presumably there would be no question of withdrawing from the EEC, as it seems to be a major plank of the SNP to continue membership.
Biut what would happen if the UK opted to sever membership of the EEC before the Independance vote.
This may all sound a bit complicated, but I would prefer to be an independant Scotland within the EEC than a UK outwith the organisation.
Nail biting stuff?

It doesn't seem likely at the moment that Westminster will have an in/out referendum before the independence referendum - the proposed date is 'after the next (Westminster) election', which is lined up for May 2015. So unless the coalition crumbles we will get to vote on Scottish independence first.

As three out of four of the main Scottish parties are in favour of continued membership of the EU, and as most authorities on the subject seem to be of the opinion that Scotland would be able to negotiate membership reasonably swiftly and painlessly, it could be that, ironically, a vote for independence is the best bet if you want to be sure of retaining your European citizenship.

[Pentlandpirate]

ironically, a vote for independence is the best bet if you want to be sure of retaining your European citizenship.

That is true. But if Scotland does gain independence and then the rest of the UK leaves the EU, it could change the dynamics of the Scotland /UK relationship much more than some had predicted.

But isn't it ironic that many Scots would leave one union (with the UK) supposedly so that they can have more say in their own future, only to join another union (the EU) which so many in the UK already wish to leave purely because it has taken away so much of the UK's freedom to determine its own future?

[Tony the Toad]

ironically, a vote for independence is the best bet if you want to be sure of retaining your European citizenship.

That is true. But if Scotland does gain independence and then the rest of the UK leaves the EU, it could change the dynamics of the Scotland /UK relationship much more than some had predicted.

But isn't it ironic that many Scots would leave one union (with the UK) supposedly so that they can have more say in their own future, only to join another union (the EU) which so many in the UK already wish to leave purely because it has taken away so much of the UK's freedom to determine its own future?

Ahahhahahahahhahahahha!!!

Do you have no idea of the meaning of the word 'consistency' ?

[Pentlandpirate]

Yes, I know what 'consistency' means.

But you'll need to explain to me what you were trying to say.

[jimcee]

There's a lot of ironics going on here.
But I do not consider it ironic to wish to continue membership of the EU with the undoubted benefits this has given to stability in the region for the last 65 years (being one of the few remaining who lived through WW2). Not to forget the economic benefits of being able to travel freely within the member states, without the need to change currency at each border (much to the former delight of bankers).
So I would place EU membership as more important than UK membership, but would like to retain both if possible