Will Scotland Embrace a Hard Border with England?

We belong to the same country – the United Kingdom. Why would anyone long for a “hard border”?

Only about one in a thousand would be masochistic enough to desire that. For the rest, including those hopeful for independence (though likely a minority), a hard border would present a bloody nightmare for everyone.

UK’s Future: No Hard Border Is the Way Forward

28/03/21. Why not?

This is not about the European Union (EU). The likelihood of Scotland joining the EU in the near future is doubtful due to several reasons:

1. Admittance Requires Unanimous Vote

Admission into the EU is a unanimous vote. Do any EU member states, which have their own independence movements (e.g., Italy, Spain, France, Belgium), wish to encourage Scotland’s independence by admitting it? The answer is clearly no.

2. Mandatory Euro Adoption

All new member states must adopt the Euro immediately, tying them into a political and economic control system far surpassing anything the Union has ever imposed. Scotland’s freedom of economic choice and legislation would be much wider than it would be under the EU.

3. Unsuitable Financial Conditions

Current Scottish financial conditions are far from adequate for EU membership or Euro adoption. The EU may have relaxed financial conditions in the past, but it's unlikely to make the same mistake again.

4. Socially-Funded Advantages

Scotland enjoys socially-funded advantages over England, financed by England and Wales. Without UK contributions to EU funding, it’s doubtful Germany (the only net contributor) would want to add yet another major financial burden.

5. Pandemic Vaccine Crisis

The EU's reaction to the COVID-19 vaccination crisis has exposed its true colors. One week it slags off the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine as ineffective, resulting in 11 million doses being wasted. The next week, it complains about being sidetracked in favor of the UK, which had already paid for the vaccine. The EU's increasingly desperate President threatened to ban vaccine components and vaccines from the UK, only to find out that some vital components for those vaccines depend on UK manufacturing facilities. Italian police, under EU orders, even illegally seized millions of vaccine doses destined for the UK, only to discover they were intended for underprivileged countries.

These events further underscore the challenges and potential pitfalls of a hypothetical hard border between Scotland and England.

For the sake of unity, collaboration, and the overall well-being of both nations, a hard border is not the way forward.