Catherine Stihler, Scottish Labour MEP

SNP in EU Membership Cover Up

Sir,

Councillor Alan Grant’s argument that an independent Scotland would automatically join the EU is largely based on an assumption not a legal fact (letters, 19 August).  The Scottish Government have long stated that Scotland would retain EU membership, despite the fact that the European Commission have remained unclear on this issue.  The standard response from the Commission has been that this is a “hypothetical question”.  

The decision to withhold this information under the exemptions cited is perverse and disclosure would clearly be in the publics interest.  Is this how the nationalists want to govern our country, by basing their arguments on assumptions and refusing to provide legal evidence to back up their claims?

Yours sincerely,

Catherine Stihler MEP
Labour MEP for Scotland