>the Irish would see the Scots as “natural allies”, similar to the Greeks and Cypriots or the Baltics states, for instance.
I question this assumption. I have no doubt that a newly independent Scotland within the EU would look to and lean heavily upon the Irish example to guide them; we know that several eastern European states did the same. But it does not follow that Ireland would necessarily ‘ally’ ourselves with them.
An independent Scotland would have many issues of concern for Ireland; a competing North Atlantic EEC, a deeply rooted Orange Order and rampant sectarianism, as well as a real competitor within the EU and within the CTA – and probably extremely close links to England based on the NI Protocol model – for FDI while having the advantage of heavy industry and abundant energy reserves.
This is all assuming that they would get into the EU in the first place, which I would not take as a given. Sure, the EU will lay out the welcome mat while Scotland are still in the UK – but I can see real concerns about admitting a British polity with a significant Eurosceptic population again after the Brexit fiasco. For certain, there’ll be no concessions for Scotland.
About as important as the Lord Mayor of Waterfords approach to Europe.
Like fuck it does. They bottled their independence referendum by holding it prematurely before a yes vote was well in hand.
They’re stuck with the UK for the foreseeable future, so Westminster is the only approach that matters when it comes to Scotland and the EU
3 comments
>the Irish would see the Scots as “natural allies”, similar to the Greeks and Cypriots or the Baltics states, for instance.
I question this assumption. I have no doubt that a newly independent Scotland within the EU would look to and lean heavily upon the Irish example to guide them; we know that several eastern European states did the same. But it does not follow that Ireland would necessarily ‘ally’ ourselves with them.
An independent Scotland would have many issues of concern for Ireland; a competing North Atlantic EEC, a deeply rooted Orange Order and rampant sectarianism, as well as a real competitor within the EU and within the CTA – and probably extremely close links to England based on the NI Protocol model – for FDI while having the advantage of heavy industry and abundant energy reserves.
This is all assuming that they would get into the EU in the first place, which I would not take as a given. Sure, the EU will lay out the welcome mat while Scotland are still in the UK – but I can see real concerns about admitting a British polity with a significant Eurosceptic population again after the Brexit fiasco. For certain, there’ll be no concessions for Scotland.
About as important as the Lord Mayor of Waterfords approach to Europe.
Like fuck it does. They bottled their independence referendum by holding it prematurely before a yes vote was well in hand.
They’re stuck with the UK for the foreseeable future, so Westminster is the only approach that matters when it comes to Scotland and the EU