The Scottish Conservatives have produced a series of arguments from leading EU figures indicating there would be no automatic entry into Europe for a separate Scotland. The row was reignited this week when European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said any new state, if it wants to join the EU, would have to apply like anyone else.

Despite this, First Minister Alex Salmond again refused to reveal whether or not the Scottish Government had sought legal advice on the issue and today the Scottish Conservatives have produced more evidence from a range of experts which supports Mr Barroso’s position. These include remarks by Dr Jo Murkens, an expert in European and Constitutional Law at the London School of Economics, stating in 2001: “Continued cover by the EU treaty of the Scottish territory would only be possible with the approval of all member states.”

Evidence has also been uncovered from former EC president Romano Prodi, who said in 2004: “When a part of a territory of a member state ceases to be part of the state – eg because that territory becomes and independent state – the treaties will no longer apply to that territory.” In 2007, European Commissioner Joe Borg added: “Scotland, as a newly independent state, would have to apply for membership.” 

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson MSP said: “A succession of experts going back over ten years have come to the same conclusion that a newly independent Scotland would not have an automatic place in the European Union, yet Alex Salmond continues to claim the opposite without producing a shred of evidence to back up his case.

Instead he spends thousands of taxpayers’ pounds to avoid even admitting he has sought legal advice on this key issue. His promise of a white paper in November next year is nothing but a delaying tactic to escape from admitting what European constitutional experts already know; if Scotland leaves the United Kingdom it will then have to apply to join, a process which could take years and as a new country it will have no choice but to leave the pound and join the Euro.

New countries also have to abide by the fiscal compact - meaning an independent Scotland would have little sovereignty over banking or taxation and almost certainly have higher corporation tax than the rest of the UK putting it at a competitive disadvantage." 

 The SNP need to be honest about what independence would actually mean for Scotland and the consequences of such a vote.