Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are building momentum in their pursuit for Scottish independence. In 2014 Scotland voted to stay in the union with a 55 percent to 45 percent margin, but since the UK voted to leave the EU, the trend has shifted. Recent polls have put a Yes vote as high as 55 percent, a reversal of the first referendum result. Ms Sturgeon wants to take Scotland back into the EU, but her plans have sparked heated debate in her homeland and across the UK.
Unionists have warned independence would mean inevitable austerity in Scotland, or could even lead to an economic downturn.
Ms Sturgeon has defended her plans, hoping that an independent Scotland will have more control over its economic destiny.
Belgian MEP and Co President of the European Greens – Philippe Lamberts – admits to Express.co.uk that Scotland could face disruption if it leaves the UK to join the EU.
When asked about potential disruption from Scottish secession, he said: “It’s fair to say that, because the links established between England and Scotland are quite strong.
“And of course if Scotland becomes an independent country and joins the EU, this will create disruption. There is no way around that.
“The only way around this would have been for the UK to remain in the EU but then maybe Scotland couldn’t have become independent in that case.
“Indeed there may be friction, we have to acknowledge a realignment of the economy may have adverse immediate impacts.
“However, the question will be ‘is this worth it or not?'”
Mr Lamberts, who is a member of the European Parliament’s Brexit Steering Group, made the surprising claim that Ms Sturgeon’s approach to independence is similar to that of Dominic Cummings and other eurosceptics to Brexit.
He added: “It’s exactly the same thing as the calculus of people like Dominic Cummings. I think Dominic Cummings did want a deal to be done between the EU and UK, he is not stupid, he can see the economic impact.
“But in his view, and his colleague’s view, it would still have been worth it. The same calculus may be made by Nicola Sturgeon.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon ‘will make Scotland better off than England’ ‒ MEP
However, Mr Lamberts has long been critical of Mr Johnson and other Brexiteers during withdrawal and trade talks with the EU.
So much so, in fact, he told Express.co.uk that he “cannot be friends” with them.
The Belgian MEP continued: “To voters I would say I understand their anger, it’s not like they made it up, so many areas were left behind so yes I understand that.
“But was Brexit the right answer to that question? I would say no.
“I do resent those who likened the EU to the Soviet Union, we are not forcing the UK to stay.
“We want to remain good neighbours, but the politicians who advocated for Brexit, many of them lied about the facts.
“I wish them all the best to face the consequences of what they wanted, because the future for the UK won’t be as rosy as they say it will.
“I can’t be friends with the likes of Nigel Farage, Iain Duncan Smith or certainly Dominic Cummings.”
