The SNP’s Alyn Smith, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), issued the call when welcoming the start of Latvia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, describing 2015 as a year during which small nations are set to “punch above their weight” in the EU’s corridors of power.
With a population less than 40 percent of that of Scotland, Latvia will hold the EU presidency for the first six months of 2015. The tiny state of Luxembourg will succeed Latvia to the presidency in six months time.
Latvia, whose landmass is slightly less than that of Scotland, has a population of 2,070,371, compared with Scotland’s 5,313,600 inhabitants (both figures based on 2011 census). The difference between Scotland and Luxembourg is even starker. Wedged between Germany, France and Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with a population of about 550,000, smaller than Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, extends over less than 1000 square miles (2586 square kilometers).
The SNP, long-time advocates of Scottish independence, was on the losing side in last September’s referendum on Scottish independence when the Scottish electorate, in a record turnout of 85.59 percent, narrowly rejected the proposal, “Should Scotland be an independent country?” by 55 percent to 45 percent.
Commenting on Latvia’s accession to the EU presidency, the SNP’s Alyn Smith, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), said, “That two countries with populations which are significantly smaller than Scotland’s will be setting Europe’s agenda for the next twelve months only confirms the potential of the EU to allow small nations to punch well above their weight on the international stage”.
Mr Smyth contrasted the position of Latvia and Luxembourg, able to lead discussions on matters of direct importance to them with that of Scotland. Scotland’s interests in the EU’s two centres of power, Brussels and Strasbourg, are tagged on to those of the UK. The disadvantages of such semi-detached representation were thrown into sharp focus by Mr Smyth who made reference to the UK government being “more focused on playing to UKIP’s agenda than in playing a constructive role in Europe.
UKIP, the UK Independence Party, argues for total withdrawal of the UK from the EU. The party recently won two by-elections in England when two former Conservative MPs resigned their seats and stood for re-election as UKIP candidates.
The most obvious feature of the semi-detached nature of Scotland’s representation within Europe is its number of MEPs. Of the UK total of 72 MEPs, Scotland elects 6, precisely the same as tiny Luxembourg and two less than Latvia that has less than half Scotland’s population. Finland, on the other hand, with a population broadly the same as that of Scotland, elects 13 members to the European Parliament.
Mr Smyth put his call for separate EU representation for Scotland in the context of new powers that were promised by Westminster politicians in the run-up to last September’s referendum, adding, “The SNP has always been clear that the extensive new powers which Scotland was promised must give Scotland a stronger and clearer voice on the international stage – to allow us to stand up for our own interests at the top table as other small nations do, rather than leaving it up to a distant Westminster establishment.”
It’s unlikely the SNP demand will cut much ice with Westminster-based unionist politicians but it’s indicative of the way political events are shaping in Scotland as the UK prepares to head to the polls in the next general election, scheduled for May 7, 2015.
