Could Nicola Sturgeon succeed if she tried to implement Covid19 border controls between England and Scotland?

[Bletchleyite]

The SNP have already decided they want a Scottish pound, and a land border between an EU nation and a non-EU nation, if Scotland rejoins, would need at least some border formalities.

To be fair, I most strongly do not want the UK to have a currency union with any other independent state, so if they do secede it's their own currency or the Euro as far as I am concerned, other than a short transitional period of maybe 12 months at most. The sovereignty of control of our currency, interest rates, quantitative easing etc being exclusively with the Bank of England is vitally important and I strongly believe it stopped us being another Greece in the last recession, and will do again over COVID.

I'd happily rejoin the EU, but never, ever the Euro, nor a currency union with Scotland. It's a concept that belongs in cash societies of 20-30 years ago. There's simply no need for it now and it has strong negatives.

 

[Enthusiast]

The sovereignty of control of our currency, interest rates, quantitative easing etc being exclusively with the Bank of England is vitally important

And it would remain so. There wouldn't be a currency union. Scotland would simply use Sterling as its chosen currency. Lots of countries use the US Dollar in that way but they don't have any input to the fiscal or economic policies of the USA. Of course quite where an independent Scotland would get its income to pay for their £££s (or any other foreign currency for that matter) is a little unclear to me but I expect somebody has thought it through.

 

[317 forever]

When all is said and done, Coronavirus is not a local Scottish health issue, or even a national health issue. It is of course an international health issue. It seems to me that the only reason the Scottish handling of it is in the hands of the Scottish Parliament is that pandemics were not foreseen and therefore accidentally excluded from the list of Reserved matters. Had pandemics been included as a Reserved matter, attempts to close the border would not have been possible.

 

[Journeyman]

When all is said and done, Coronavirus is not a local Scottish health issue, or even a national health issue. It is of course an international health issue. It seems to me that the only reason the Scottish handling of it is in the hands of the Scottish Parliament is that pandemics were not foreseen and therefore accidentally excluded from the list of Reserved matters. Had pandemics been included as a Reserved matter, attempts to close the border would not have been possible.

Nah, it's devolved because it's a public health matter, albeit one that's far more serious than anyone thought possible. I suspect a lot of emergency legislation is in place for other stuff that defines whether it's devolved or not.

 

[HSTEd]

Independence needn't mean border controls, although the more extreme supporters of independence would like it to.

The SNP and the nationalists almost all want EU membership, which definitely means border controls in the current environment.

 

[68000]

When all is said and done, Coronavirus is not a local Scottish health issue, or even a national health issue. It is of course an international health issue. It seems to me that the only reason the Scottish handling of it is in the hands of the Scottish Parliament is that pandemics were not foreseen and therefore accidentally excluded from the list of Reserved matters. Had pandemics been included as a Reserved matter, attempts to close the border would not have been possible.

Everything is reserved unless specifically devolved. Public health is devolved but macroeconomics is not which is why the devolved nations had to wait until the 'Coranavirus Act' passed through Westminster on the 25th March to act on lockdown etc

 

[Richard Scott]

The SNP and the nationalists almost all want EU membership, which definitely means border controls in the current environment.

I'd imagine they'll be waiting a long time for that. Expect they'll be in queue behind Serbia and they've been waiting at least 10 years.

 

[mmh]

The SNP and the nationalists almost all want EU membership, which definitely means border controls in the current environment.

Yes, the EU means border controls, except in all the places it doesn't.

 

[Journeyman]

I'd imagine they'll be waiting a long time for that. Expect they'll be in queue behind Serbia and they've been waiting at least 10 years.

The SNP have been trying to promote the idea that the EU would have them back in a heartbeat, but I suspect it'll be a significant challenge getting Spain on board, given the problem they have with militant Catalonian separatists. Also, Scotland won't have a hope in hell of meeting the economic criteria.

 

[HSTEd]

Yes, the EU means border controls, except in all the places it doesn't.

Well the huge facilities being built at Larne et al indicate what faces Scotland.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The SNP have been trying to promote the idea that the EU would have them back in a heartbeat, but I suspect it'll be a significant challenge getting Spain on board, given the problem they have with militant Catalonian separatists. Also, Scotland won't have a hope in hell of meeting the economic criteria.

Spain has said they won't object. Surprised me, but I did read it from a reputable source (I forget where).

 

[Journeyman]

Spain has said they won't object. Surprised me, but I did read it from a reputable source (I forget where).

I've seen conflicting stories on that one. Even if it's not a problem, there are lots of things that are. EFTA membership might be more realistic, at least initially.

 

[68000]

Spain has said they won't object. Surprised me, but I did read it from a reputable source (I forget where).

Yes, the then foreign minister said it in 2018 and a diplomat said it agin in 2019 but was then apparantly sacked

Reuters | Breaking International News & Views

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uk.reuters.com

 

[kylemore]

I'd imagine they'll be waiting a long time for that. Expect they'll be in queue behind Serbia and they've been waiting at least 10 years.

If they put it to a referendum I am sure the Serb people will reject it, sensible people that they are and well aware of the true nature of the EU, so they might require a little persuasion...

 

[Mag_seven]

As we no longer appear to be discussing Nicola Sturgeon implementing border controls between England and Scotland this thread is now locked. Should the situation arise where border controls are introduced we will consider reopening the thread.