LONDON: Scotland leader Nicola Sturgeon was quick to resurrect the thorny issue of Scottish independence in the wake of a “breakthrough” Brexit deal announced on Thursday, which ruled out the return to a hard Northern Irish border with EU member Ireland.
In a series of tweets, Scotland’s First Minister said that the issue of frontiers could never be used as an argument against Brexit and claimed concessions made to Northern Ireland should also apply to Scotland.
“An aside — a UK government that is able to say that come what may, it will avoid hard borders with Ireland/NI after Brexit can never again tell Scotland that independence would mean a hard border between Scotland and (the rest of the UK).”
In its campaign against Scottish independence, which was voted down in a 2014 referendum, the British government warned it would mean establishing a hard border between Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Dr. Simon Usherwood, deputy director of The UK in a Changing Europe program at the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), said Sturgeon’s tweets were true to form but as the deal stands, the issue of Scottish independence is unlikely to go back on the political agenda.
“The SNP (Scottish National Party) tried very hard to put (Scottish independence) back on the agenda last June and had some success, but not in terms of getting the Scottish people on board.”
“As long as you have the deal that they have at the moment, it’s not likely to resurface.”
“A softer kind of Brexit that’s still keeping borders might draw a lot of the sting out of the arguments that the SNP could make,” he said.
Responding to Sturgeon’s remarks on Twitter, Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, which fought against independence from the rest of the UK, tweeted: “Right on time Nicola Sturgeon uses any Brexit development to bang the indy drum. Could set your watch by it. Give it a rest.”
Sturgeon shot back: “Democracy, Tory style — shut up and let us inflict whatever damage on Scotland we want.”
Welcoming the announcement of a Brexit divorce deal, Sturgeon said moving onto the second phase of talks was a positive step but warned there was work to be done on several key areas.
“Move to Phase 2 of talks good — but devil is in the detail and things now get really tough. If Brexit is happening (wish it wasn’t) staying in single market and customs union is only sensible option. And any special arrangements for (Northern Ireland) must be available to other UK nations,” she tweeted.
Earlier in the week, Sturgeon said Scotland should be allowed to “stay in the EU single market” after leaked plans for the post-Brexit Irish border showed Northern Ireland remaining in the single market and customs union, unlike the rest of the UK.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones echoed her calls with demands for made-to-measure Brexit deals that reflected the majority anti-Brexit sentiments of voters in London and Wales.
“Sturgeon has always been consistent about trying to protect Scottish interests in this process. She, along with people like Carwyn Jones, saw an opportunity back on Monday to try and make that case again — that the UK is not united behind a single policy and they are keen to push their local interests,” Usherwood said.
On Tuesday, Khan said he would push for a bespoke Brexit deal that allowed London to retain access to the single market and customs union.
