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“Inquiry into the Impact of the Treaty of Lisbon on Scotland”
Rural Affairs and the Environment
3:25 pm
Ian McKee (Scottish National Party)
I am sorry. I have only four minutes; otherwise, I would certainly give way.
What a nightmare that must sound to centralist London, which for all these years has been coming up with its Eurosceptic positions all alone. For years, Labour denied Scottish ministers the opportunity to represent the UK at EU council meetings.
To conclude, the Lisbon treaty gives our Parliament a greater opportunity for involvement, but the challenge that now faces us is to ensure that we can take advantage. It is also clear that, while many Länder and other regions of Europe are treated as equals in their respective member states, Scotland’s voice has been subdued by an overparanoid and centralist London for almost 40 years of EU membership. Scotland must have real influence in Europe, and it can do so only with its own votes in the Council of Ministers, 13 Scottish MEPs, an independent civil service in Brussels, and its very own Scottish commissioner.