The new politics of a UK of nations joined but not muzzled was in evidence yesterday when Nicola Sturgeon made a speech in Brussels setting out Scotland’s view. This is fundamentally different to Cameron’s message, in the principle that the government is Eurosceptic but willing to stay if the terms are right, whereas Scotland is pro-Europe, and has no plans to leave, but would like a few changes to make things better for everyone.
No guesses as to who will soon be the darling of the EU. Sturgeon also said that there should be a voting majority to leave in each of the UK nations separately, for an exit to take place. This will have come as music to the ears of her audience who will know that such a requirement makes a UK exit all but impossible. This clever lady, a political strategist with few equals and none in these islands, knows that once the idea is put forward, it becomes impossible politically for England to use its majority to steamroller Scotland out of the EU.
Instead it would push Scotland out of the UK.