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Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Nicola Sturgeon on way to Brussels to defend Scotland's place in the EU

David Cameron will not attend a meeting of EU leaders as they discuss the Brexit fallout.

SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER Nicola Sturgeon is travelling to Brussels today for talks to defend Scotland’s place in the European Union after a vote by Britain as a whole to leave the bloc.

Sturgeon said she was “utterly determined” to protect Scotland as she obtained a formal mandate for direct talks with the European Union institutions at an emergency session of the Scottish parliament.

“I will make an initial visit to Brussels to set out Scotland’s position and interests” to European Parliament leaders, Sturgeon said.

“Through all of this I am determined, utterly determined, to preserve Scotland’s relationship and place within the EU,” Sturgeon, head of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), said.

Britain as a whole voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU but Scotland voted strongly for Britain to remain — by 62% to 38%.

However, European Council President Donald Tusk has refused a meeting with the first minister, according to a source in the group of EU leaders.

“Sturgeon requested a meeting with president Tusk, but Tusk thinks it’s not the appropriate moment,” the source said.

Scottish independence 

Scotland is to draw up legislation for a new independence referendum to ensure it could be held during any negotiations for Britain to leave the EU, which would last a maximum of two years unless all EU member states agreed to extend them.

Outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron has ruled Sturgeon’s initiative out, saying Scots had already voted against independence in 2014, and the referendum would require the authority of the British parliament to go ahead.

“The last thing Scotland needs now is another divisive referendum,” his spokeswoman said earlier.

But Sturgeon stressed the circumstances had changed since 2014 and Scotland was in “uncharted territory” and that a new referendum was now “highly likely”.

Cameron will be excluded from a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels today as they discuss the Brexit fallout.

Standing ovation

Gibraltar, the rock outcrop on Spain’s southern tip that was ceded to Britain 300 years ago, also voted to remain within the EU and is seeking to stay in the bloc.

“Technical experts” from both Scotland and Gibraltar are to meet to review the possibility of both remaining in the EU, according to a statement from Gibraltar.

Sturgeon is due to meet European Parliament president Martin Schulz today, along with senior liberal MEP Guy Verhofstadt.

Scottish SNP member of the European Parliament Alyn Smith called on it to stand by Scotland in an impassioned speech yesterday in which he described himself as “proudly European”.

“Scotland did not let you down … Do not let Scotland down now,” Smith implored in a mix of French and English, bringing fellow MEPs to their feet in a standing ovation.

Experts have said one way in which Scotland could remain in the EU would be if it became independent and then applied to be a “successor state”, effectively inheriting Britain’s EU membership.

© AFP 2016

Read: This man looks set to be the Prime Minister of the UK

Read: Jeremy Corbyn has lost a vote of no confidence to lead his party

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    Mute Karl Waters
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:39 AM

    If those eejits up in Scotland hadn’t voted against their own independence last year, they wouldn’t find themselves in this mess.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:53 AM

    They would still have had to negotiate their way into the EU as an independent country.

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    Mute Sully
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:16 AM

    Scotland are truly a nation of cowards , they are happy to trade one master for another

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    Mute Zaphods Other Head
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:23 AM

    A Scottish friend of mine said that people voted to remain in the UK because that kept them in Europe. An independent Scotland, at that time, would have had to renegotiate to get into Europe, or so they thought.

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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Jun 29th 2016, 10:58 AM

    @sully, they are not cowards – however the Welsh in my opinion have lost all identity

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    Mute Myk_Oval_Balls_nRyt
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    Jun 29th 2016, 10:59 AM

    It also has to be said that it was the 55+ demo that kept them in the union. Taking into account the number of English living in Scotland that would have voted in favor of the union as well as the effects of plantations over the centuries similar to the north i wouldn’t exactly deem the Scottish cowards.

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    Mute Rónán O'Suilleabháin
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:02 AM

    Indeed, I seem to recall that the “Better together” campaign was using this stick – that an independent Scotland wouldn’t necessarily qualify for EU membership for some time.

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    Mute Brian Heffernan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:04 AM

    She’s making a fool of herself. Imagine Martin McGuiness heading to Brussels without consent from Dublin or London… He’d be laughed at.

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    Mute Zaphods Other Head
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:16 AM

    Scotland holds a lot of aces at the moment. If they play them right they could get everything they want. Sturgeon could give the Scots caviar.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:36 AM

    If those eejits had voted for independence they wouldn’t now be in the EU. At least now along with Gibraltar they do have a fighting chance of remaining in the EU when the rest of the UK bails out through Brexit. The same thing happened with Denmark remaining in the EU as I remember.

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    Mute Colm Hennessy
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:45 AM

    In a way.

    I voted for Scottish independence, but I can see why the attempt was unsuccessful: the specifics were too vague, particularly as regards currency and economy.

    The case is now much stronger, and will be more so if a clear plan with the EU is reached. Stripped of the economic uncertainty, and facing forceful removal from the EU, Scotland is far more likely to vote for independence this time.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:48 AM

    Unlike the Scottish referendum, If the UK Brexit referendum had have been open to voters under 18 we might have seen a different outcome, particularly as it was the older voters which shaded it for the leave campaign.

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 12:12 PM

    Scotland holds no aces! Sturgeon is delighted with the result last week as gives them a mandate for another vote. Scotland at the minute hasn’t a pot to p-iss in. Unemployment is rising. Oil and gas is in decline. Their much talked about renewables is no where near off the ground and UK and EU dependent. Their 3rd level universities get more funding from London than other parts of the UK and also rely on the EU paying fees etc. The place would be a shambles if independent and would be years off getting membership in its own right. The SNP are clueless and didn’t answer any proper questions as to currency or debt etc in the last referendum, at least London has an idea of what they have to do to exit. Scotland have no clue or should I say SNP. Braveheart reruns won’t pay the bills and neither will blaming London. What will they do if they got independence when they lie and blame London for the state of the NHS in Scotland when they have controlled it from Edinburgh for years!

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 12:50 PM

    Brown Boots. The Oil in Scottish waters currently has to go towards the budget for 65 Million people. An Independent Scotland would have only to look after 6 Million with the same oil reserves. Makes a big diffrence.

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    Mute Micheal Johnson
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    Jun 29th 2016, 2:35 PM

    Once the 2016 oil price is entered into that white paper… The numbers will be so tragic they’ll be waving Union Jacks and burning European flags within hours!

    No uncertainty either, independence means the euro and with the state of the exchange rate it would wipe billions from Scotland’s wealth.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:00 PM

    Michael. The Oil and Gas prices wouldn’t have that big effect of an Independent Scotland. They would still be producing the same amount as they currently are but instead of sharing the income tax from it with 65 Million others they only have to look after 6 Million. You can spread the butter much thicker on one slice than you can on a whole loaf.

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    Mute Colm Hennessy
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:06 PM

    In addition Mick, I think it’s an error to lean too heavily on oil as a “proof” for Scottish independence. Oil is indeed an earner, but by most experts views we are probably reaching the end of the “oil age”. So not only is it volatile (in more ways than one) but neither it’s supply nor our reliance will last forever.

    Scotland has plenty of natural resources, including a remarkable generating capacity for renewable energy. Properly-run, Scotland could well hold its own on the European stage. Not just that, but if (in an ideal scenario) Scotland got into the EU, Edinburgh (and maybe Glasgow) could become an economic powerhouse.

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    Mute Colm Hennessy
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:07 PM

    You seem very keen, Michael, for an independent Scotland to fail. Mind if I ask why?

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:15 PM

    What about the folks who don’t use their vote, money it costs to issue their cards and protect their right to vote. They should fine people, who don’t use their vote and 1,000 should be enough of an encouragement.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:55 PM

    Agreed Colm. But the current reserves of Oil and Gas would give Scotland a running start. Thus allowing them time to intice other industries and services.

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 4:52 PM

    Yes but what else in Scotland produces that revenue! It’s like saying money generated in Dublin via financial jobs only stays there! That’s ridiculous logic. Plus the snp had you believe oil and gas would pay for everything. It hasn’t, it couldn’t now and it won’t.

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 4:54 PM

    Scotland and the central belt which is drain on any economic benefit from oil and gas that’s left still has not figured out its portion of UK debt!

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 4:56 PM

    Well it would need to be to fund services to the islands and highlands, universities, oh and the giant drain that is the central belt! Oil and gas prices have a massive impact on Scottish independence and was the basis of the Snp economic model they proposed yet have not mentioned since that if it were even at current prices, never mind the low of a few months ago, Scotland would be bankrupt.

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 4:58 PM

    Neither would be an economic powerhouse. Glasgow exists due to heavy industry and has had to try change due to being too expensive to undertake there. Edinburgh exists as an outpost of London, mainly. All the main banks said they would pull operations down south were they to get independence. Why have your main operational headquarters outside of the country you operate!

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 4:59 PM

    Ah no they don’t cover the running costs at the minute. There are over 70k Scottish out of work due to oil and gas decline. The money train has well and truly sailed on that and investment is focused on exploring elsewhere not on Scotland for a few barrels more.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Jun 29th 2016, 5:54 PM

    Oil and gas prices are going up in Britain since the slide in Sterling against the US Dollar.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Jun 29th 2016, 6:00 PM

    Scotland produces some pretty fine whisky. It also has a healthy revenue source from tourism and forestry, not to mention the untapped shale gas Scotland also receives EU revenue for its many university research projects which may be lost when the UK pulls out of the single market.

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 6:19 PM

    Most say that the UKCS is about 20 to 30% below what it needs to even break even. Many are aging and require a lot more attention which is costly in the UK and more decent reserves elsewhere. The snp were basing their figures during independence ref on oil at 120 a barrel! Madness!

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 6:28 PM

    Actually Scotland receives disproportionately more revenue than universities elsewhere in the UK, that’s not from the EU but from London! The SNP have also said they will not allow onshore fracking so that’s the end of their shale ideas. Any studies have not as yet really shown it to be such a hot bed for it anyway as other areas more suitable! Not entirely sure forestry would keep the country afloat! And would be interesting to see if tourists from outside a free movement zone would be as bothered about Scottish visas and focus on English ones, if it came to it, is much of their tourism not combined with England. So that leaves whiskey to pay the bills. Now Japanese whiskey is eating into their share more and more maybe not. And all the financial services will relocate elsewhere. The level of uncertainty surrounding Scotland is a lot worse than the UK as whole. The SNP right now look a bit childish in so far as if they had this in mind it would be better worth their while to wait for a few months rather than a silly knee jerk reaction. If they fail to listen to a majority this time and it’s a no again that’s then wiped out. They would be better to focus on addressing the questions they couldn’t and didn’t answer last time. A joke of a proposition right now making things even more uncertain. Way to go SNP idiots!

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    Mute Harry Whitehead
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    Jun 29th 2016, 7:36 PM

    Balls indeed. Way to go repeating that blood and soil pish about English voters all voting ‘No’. A classic example of how creepy and insidious the Yestapo mentality is – a vote against independence automatically makes one traitor, a quisling or a foreigner…nice.

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    Mute itsonlyme
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    Jun 29th 2016, 7:55 PM

    Aw please! How do Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Norway and various other small states manage. I don’t but this doom and gloom at all.

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    Mute Ross Merriman
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:09 AM

    Seriously admirable politician

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:30 AM

    It’s so refreshing to see a politician to stand up and vehemently fight for what they believe in rather than just sit back and toe the party line or accept the status quo. We can only hope that the taoiseach will act in the same manner when fighting our corner in the fallout of this mess

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    Mute Diarmuid Lenihan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:37 AM

    The Taoiseach will do as he’s told as usual. There’s zero fight in that pathetic excuse of a man.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:39 AM

    Which way does he want to fight then?

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    Mute Micheal Johnson
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    Jun 29th 2016, 2:37 PM

    Yeah, if our politicians didn’t have to get down and dirty with day to day issues of actually running a country and could waffle on about ideology and “belief” for years on end, they’d seem pretty “right on” as well!

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jun 29th 2016, 5:03 PM

    Oh Michael people don’t like the truth! Once their mind is made up. Her old boss Alex was almost as bad. Spent his time in office working on independence rather than dealing with issues

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    Mute Tina Kanayo
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:12 AM

    Hope she succeeds. The British can moan about freedom to their hearts content but dont want the same for the Scottish. Hypocrites!

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    Mute lunatictravel.com
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:28 AM

    If the scots want idependence thats fine but why gain independence from the UK bearing in mind we had Scottish prime ministers only to emerse themselves into a flawed totaly undemocratic European Superstate which make no mistake thats where it is heading Read below Jean Monnet, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, in which Monnet is claimed to have written the following in a letter to a friend on 30th April, 1952: “Europe’s nations should be guided towards the superstate without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation”

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:55 AM

    The British are consistent in their xenophobia. They believe you’re better together with fellow pure and white Brits and better away from any kind of filthy foreigner.

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    Mute Niall Conneely
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:56 AM

    But they seem to like us

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    Mute Ciarán Masterson
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:48 AM

    @Rochelle

    The British have nothing against foreigners; they just want a limit on how many foreigners enter their country.

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    Mute David Sproat
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    Jun 29th 2016, 12:06 PM

    Just a point on Scottish Prime Ministers – there will never be another one. Not now that we have ‘English Votes for English Laws’ (the first thing Cameron announced in the aftermath of Scotland’s No vote). I mean, can you imagine a Scottish PM imposing laws on England that he himself can’t even vote on? The English would never accept it.

    The Union is dead.

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    Mute Alan Currie
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    Jun 29th 2016, 4:27 PM

    Rochelle, do you realise you sound like a total xenophobe now?

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    Mute Mally Wooney
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:40 AM

    The scaremongering that was used in the Scottish referendum about being expelled from the EU may have been a contributing factor in the stay vote in their independence referendum. Now English and Welsh bigotry have expelled them anyway. I hope they go back to the ballot box and break ties with England.

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    Mute Finn Bowe
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:50 AM

    Very true Mally. I remember one leaflet come through my door in English and polish which basically said immigrants could be expelled at any moment if we voted for independence .

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    Mute Maurice Bourke
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:52 AM

    @Mally
    Yep Cameron and co scared the scottish into voting against independence and tried scaring the whole UK into voting for an unreformed EU, this time it didn’t work.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:06 AM

    It’s wasn’t scaremongering at the time. There were a number of nations willing to veto their attempts to join the bloc in order to discourage their own secessionist movements.

    Spain, for example, would have a very hard time voting in favour of Scotland joining the EU while suppressing independence movements in Catalonia and the Basque region. France, Belgium and Italy also have separatist movements that they’d rather not give ammunition to.

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:31 AM

    What you say, Jason, may be true, but it’s also hypocritical. How can they allow secessionist movements that developed into independent states (Slovenia, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, etc.) join the EU on one hand, while denying that right to other secessionist movements that would also develop into independent states (Scotland, Catalonia, Corsica, Sardinia, etc.)? Is it any wonder there is a democratic deficit at the heart of Europe when many of the big members (France, Spain and, to a lesser extent, Italy) deny democracy to their own people!

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    Mute Ciarán Masterson
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:45 AM

    @Brian

    “How can they allow secessionist movements that developed into independent states (Slovenia, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, etc.) join the EU on one hand, while denying that right to other secessionist movements that would also develop into independent states (Scotland, Catalonia, Corsica, Sardinia, etc.)?”

    Do you really think that the Soviet Union and Communist Yugoslavia were democracies?!

    The Baltic states became independent because the Russian Empire had been overthrown by the Bolsheviks. Then, the Baltic states were annexed by Stalin in 1940. Now, Putin is threatening them.

    Yugoslavia fell apart because Tito made no provision for how it would be governed properly after his death.

    Therefore, your comparison of Scotland and Catalonia to the Baltic states and the former Yugoslav republics is absurd.

    Scots have fought alongside the English, the Welsh and the Irish (from both sides of the Border) against tyranny in the not-too-distant past, you know.

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    Mute David Sproat
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    Jun 29th 2016, 11:57 AM

    You’re right Brian. Also, by blocking Scotland, Spain would be defeating their own legal argument against Catalan secession. The Spanish constitution requires majority support in a referendum across the whole country before any part of it is allowed to cede. Using this, Madrid currently says that Catalonia’s bid for independence is unconstitutional and undemocratic. If they block Scotland (who have become independent via entirely democratic means), then that allows Catalans to say ‘See? Spain doesn’t believe in self-determination at all’.

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Jun 29th 2016, 12:32 PM

    Ciarán, it doesn’t matter about whether or not the Soviet Union or Yugoslavia were democracies. The principle still stands: former secessionist movements that became independent states and were granted, upon application, membership of the EU. It could be argued that Spain’s refusal to recognise a constitutional and democratic process in a foreign country (Scotland/UK) is undemocratic and verges on interfering in a foreign country’s internal affairs. It could also be argued that its own refusal to allow the Catalans to decide their own future is also undemocratic.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 1:09 PM

    The thought is that now the UK are leaving. An Independent Scotland could assume the UK’s place without having to re-apply due to them already being a member.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:58 PM

    Gregoir the Spanish nor any other EU nation are not making any grumbling noises this time around at the idea of an Independent Scotland.

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    Mute Ciarán Masterson
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    Jun 29th 2016, 4:05 PM

    @Brian

    It does matter. The Baltic states had been annexed by Stalin. Slovenia and Croatia have benefited because they broke free from the communist yoke.

    Ethnic nationalism is poisonous. It must be consigned to the dustbin of history.

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Jun 30th 2016, 11:55 AM

    I’m not a big fan of ethnic nationalism, but what is currently going on throughout Europe is a line of thought that runs like this: the French tell the Bretons, Basques, Corsicans, Occitans, Flemish, Alsatians, etc. that they can have equality, liberty, fraternity, etc. as long as it is on French terms. The Spanish tell the Catalans, Basques, Aragonese, Galicians, Aranese, etc. that they can be equal, free and democratic, as long as they are not allowed vote on what they deem important, and as long as they keep their culture and language to themselves, all while Spanish culture and language is pushed on them.
    Remember, the Basques had their own autonomy and freedom to practise their language and customs, until Franco came along, when all of that was whisked away and Castilians flocked into the area (very similar to what happened in the Baltic states). The same with the Catalans.
    The EU’s very own motto is “Unity in Diversity”. However, as Spain and France seem very keen on illustrating, that “Unity in Diversity” is only applicable when the diversity they speak of is one of the big boys of Spanish, French, German, etc. but never applicable when it’s about Bretons, Basques, Catalans, Sardinians, Alsatians, Venetians, etc. As a perfect example, we have 24 official languages in the EU. Catalan is not an official language of the EU and is denied that privilege, despite being spoken by more people than Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Irish and Maltese combined, simply because they do not have an independent state to represent their wishes. Ethnic nationalism is only poisonous when you have dominant ethnic groups imposing their will on minority ethnic groups. Only when we treat each ethnic group equally, which allows them to properly express themselves on their own terms (including the right to decide their own future), will we be able to move on from poisonous ethnic nationalism. It is, after all, ethnic nationalism that is guiding Spain’s desire to prevent the Catalans from seeking independence and interfering in the internal affairs of other states.

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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    Jun 29th 2016, 8:17 AM

    Brexitheart!

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:50 AM

    Whatever happens, these Islands will never be the same again.

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    Mute Niall Conneely
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:57 AM

    26 + 6 = 1

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:17 PM

    26+6= Trouble!

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    Mute mr magoo
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:28 AM

    So rochelle it was over 17 million bigots and racists that voted to leave, you are either really dumb or a liar, or maybe you just dont think demoracy is for anyone who disagrees with you

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    Mute James Kelly
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:12 AM

    Even with another referendum scotland will not vote for independence . This is due in large measure to their being a lot of non indigenous scots being able to vote and most of them are English . The rest are too timid and scared to realise all they have to lose are their chains as they are endured to the position of scroungers, are largely ignorant of their own history and largely dependent on the welfare state . They do not have the same entrepreneurial spirit as the Irish, they have an inferiority complex and lack their own culture and language having been assimilated over the years to be English/British
    They are good 90 minute patriots but that’s as good as it gets . Schultz should meet her but he won’t and I will be interested to see what, if anything, she comes back with. I’ve witnessed what the EU has done to Greece and Ireland and wouldn’t wish the same on wee Scotland a land of 6M

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    Mute Finn Bowe
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:26 AM

    If the latest polls are to believed they would vote for independence.no doubt they will pick up the immigrant vote now and some who want to remain part of the eu who would previously of voted no to Indy,and to be terrible crude the majority of older voters voted no to Indy a percentage of them will have died to be replaced by younger voters more likely to vote yes. And no doubt some who voted yes last time will vote no this time due slump in oil prices and people who believe a Indy will just cause more instability. Hopefully as the polls are showing at present the yes vote will continue to rise to a steady yes 60%

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    Mute Colm Hennessy
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:08 PM

    James, you do realise how bigoted your post reads don’t you?

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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:33 AM

    Todays top for Scottish people:

    If having another vote on independence remember to exclude all Ranger fans.

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    Mute liam
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:24 AM

    Another Mary looking for a manger

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    Mute Niall Conneely
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    Jun 29th 2016, 9:54 AM

    I hope that she hasn’t put Michael D. on hold!

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    Mute Fjordie
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    Jun 29th 2016, 12:32 PM

    She met him earlier in the week!

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    Mute John Hagin Meade
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    Jun 29th 2016, 3:11 PM

    I think Nicola STURGEON is a bit fishy. Well holy MACKEREL I hope she does not try to COD the people in that PLAICE. She might give them a RAY of light without any POUTING. If she has a good SOLE, she may get re-EELected. She could perhaps be replaced by Alex SALMONd. He drinks BASS so he might just MUSSEL in as he’s a bit of a SHARK. I hope she doesn’t FLOUNDER around. It’s a load of POLLACKs in my opinion. Must go now and SKATE off.

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    Mute Rosa Parks
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    Jun 29th 2016, 5:15 PM

    Democratic revolution going on everywhere

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