The UKs priorities in terms of international trade are not the same as Scotlands. Infact in many cases the UK government has indeed antagonised countries we trade with. Exactly the same situation was happening in Quebec. While I was over there I heard first hand about the way that Quebec was jipped out of their independence by use of some very underhand and illegal tactics. But despite that they decided to establish what are called QUEBEC HOUSES around the world in places where they had commercial interests. Now the reason they are called houses is because they are till forced to come under the canadian government embassies so they cant call them embassies. But as houses go, they are almost identical in every way to a foreign embassy. Despite costing a lot of money to set up, which is what Scotland would do after independence, they have paid their way 10 fold bringing trade, industry and international relations to quebec that had never existed previously. What is interesting about the Quebec houses is that some of them indeed share embassy buildings with other foreign countries therefore reducing the running costs for both Quebec and the sharing nation. So! Whats the point, well it is a perfect example of how a constituent nation loses trade because the host government (canadian or westminster) have different priorities. It is a perfect example of how, yes embassies cost money to set up but the returns you get are phenominal, especially when they are placed based in countries that you have an interest in trading in. Finally, tu hey are a perfect example that nations can actually share floor space in a building. In areas where the UK already have embassies then we can simply hare space with them, it would reduce the cost to the rUK and for us as well. They would be absolutely insane not to be interested in such an arrangement. If Westminster wont share then there are 200+ other nations we could offer the same sharing deal with. You also need to remember that all these treaties, visas and other deals for travel between nations and the UK will need to be renegotiated for both the UK and Scotland on independence - so why not setup bi-lateral agreements while we are doing it. There are countries at the moment that Scottish people cannot travel to without a visa because Westminster does not have agreements with them. i.e. the Russian Federation. Scotland loses a large chunk of visitors outside of the EU every year because the UK is not part of Shengen, the agreement of free travel between nations. If my fiancee (who is russian) wants to go on holiday with me to europe, we can travel in most of the countries with a shengen visa, but to enter the UK she must get a UK visa as well - £35 for a shengen and around £200 for a UK visa - one big typical westminster money making exercise. Many tourists come to Europe but decide not to come to Scotland because of having to get another visa. If Scotland were to join shengen, it would no doubt increased tourism for us.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:22:20 +0000
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