Rennie: EU timeline exposes simplified nonsense of SNP’s separation agenda

Responding to the publication of secret civil service advice warning that it could take as long as 8 years for an independent Scotland to get EU membership, Scottish Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie MSP said:    

“We all knew that getting back into Europe through independence was going to be far more complicated than how the SNP pitched it. These revelations expose the nationalist pitch as simplified nonsense.    

“The nationalists have paid lip-service to Europe to win votes, but they have failed to do anything that might actually bring us closer with our neighbours. They spent more time and money on fighting a Shetland by-election than they ever did on the EU referendum.  

“Liberal Democrats are the most pro-European party. We’ve already shown that in Wales by setting in motion a £65m Erasmus replacement that has lined up 6,000 exchange opportunities. By contrast, the SNP haven't delivered a single spot for Scottish students to learn and study abroad.

“Scotland should learn the lessons of Brexit, not repeat them with separation.”