#SNP leadership: Humza Yousaf will reportedly say today that the SNP should have its own presence in Brussels "to help lay the groundwork" for Scotland joining the EU. Such an approach is far more likely to backfire thenational.scot/news/23346665.… The Scottish Government already has a relatively large office in Brussels – which, naturally and appropriately, is focused on Scotland's relationships with the EU now, under the present constitution. That representation is surely sufficient for Scotland's current requirements

#SNP leadership: Ash Regan said in this interview that joining EFTA would be the best "short-term solution for Scotland" to be part of the EU Single Market. EFTA is not and does not provide access to the Single Market. bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0… Joining EFTA alone provides a relationship with its members: Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. If Scotland wanted access to the Single Market without applying to join the EU, it would need to apply to join the European Economic Area (EEA)

In fact, no – the future of the UK's nuclear weapons would surely have no practical bearing on Scotland's prospective EU membership application if it became an independent state. A thread #indyref2 heraldscotland.com/politics/20255… The placement and relocation of the UK's nuclear weapons as part of Scottish independence would be a serious issue and the parties would no doubt take it seriously. Trident would feature in the independence transition negotiations following a referendum

Given the war and its implications, it is natural that defence & security now feature more in Scottish politics. However, the current short circuit to the nuclear weapons issue is not a substitute for a quality Holyrood debate in this area. A thread. heraldscotland.com/politics/20108… First of all, it is positive that the Scottish Government speak more regularly and clearly of NATO and NATO membership these days. As I outlined in my @politicourant piece, the Ukraine war has reshaped the independence debate, with security a core concern bit.ly/35yHL0o

As I argued in Scotland's EU Blueprint back in 2020, and more recently, an EU membership referendum for a post-independence Scotland would give democratic legitimacy and align with common practice. Yet the current debate on this issue is strange. A thread. bit.ly/SC-EU At present, the entire conversation on a Scottish EU membership referendum seems fixed around the answer which Nicola Sturgeon gave last year to a convoluted question during the media Q&A of the SNP's manifesto launch for the 2021 Holyrood election

While the issue of the Scotland-England border and independence raises emotions for many, as noted in this @heraldscotland newsletter, borders are a factual reality of states. The question is not whether they exist, but how they are managed. A thread heraldscotland.com/politics/19729… This piece suggests that a scenario of an independent Scotland in the EU and a residual UK out of the EU inevitably means a "hard border" between Scotland and England. The implication is that the main cause of a border is the difference on EU membership. The reality is otherwise

This draft resolution for the SNP's November conference on an independent Scotland's relationships with the EU and the UK, reported by @kacnutt, significantly oversimplifies the issues in question. Its arguments raise multiple points of concern. A thread. thenational.scot/news/19671503.… First, the resolution states that an independent Scotland should join the EU "in order to access free markets and increase trade with our nearest neighbours." That is a values-free, economics-only argument for joining the EU – mirroring the UK's approach to its former membership

The new SNP-Green non-coalition cooperation negotiations are an interesting evolution in Scottish politics. Their eventual outcome remains to be seen, but plenty to ponder. A thread. #SP21 heraldscotland.com/news/19332430.… At first glance, this model could suit the SNP more than the Greens. In a coalition, the Greens might have greater influence than their numbers. On an ad-hoc basis, the Greens might also have significant leverage. By contrast, a cooperation deal could moderate that influence

DEAR MINISTER – My recommendations to the new Scottish Government on conducting and developing Scotland's European and international relations. In the olden days, I would have written an op-ed or an 'open letter', but new times, new methods. A thread. #ScotEU #ScotFP #1 – As we know, Brexit has regrettably been realised. EU-UK relations will now unfold. Scotland's opposition to Brexit is widely, if not universally, known across Europe. That opposition no longer needs to be the central message to fellow Europeans. The focus moves to the future

Joint with the 'Spanish veto', the budget deficit is the most overemphasised and misinterpreted aspect of Scotland joining the EU under independence. Short version: No, Scotland's notional budget deficit does not put EU membership in doubt. A thread. thetimes.co.uk/article/scotla… All EU members sign up to the Stability and Growth Pact and other rules designed to promote sound public finances and therefore ensure the economic and fiscal sustainability of individual Member States and the Union as a whole. These rules apply to members, not just candidates

#SP2021 | Analysis of the Scottish Labour manifesto: European and international affairs elements. A brief selection. Brexit happened somewhere (else) #SP21 scottishlabour.org.uk/where-we-stand… EU | Scottish Labour says that Scotland and the UK should have 'as close a relationship with the EU as possible'. Which means what? Keeping the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (which is not close)? Rejoining the EU? Something else? Some measure of vision and detail would be good

What was that? You are looking for a comprehensive, independent and realistic plan for how Scotland could join the EU? I am glad you asked... #indyref2 thetimes.co.uk/article/snp-mu… Why not try Scotland's EU Blueprint, the 136-page, 47,000-word report from @euromerchants? It covers every aspect of how an independent Scotland could join the EU and become a successful EU Member State bit.ly/SC-EU