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| Nicola Sturgeon will not rule out 'associate citizenship' of EU for Scotland Nicola Sturgeon will not rule out 'associate citizenship' of EU for Scotland | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday she would not rule out “associate citizenship” of the EU as an alternative for Scotland in order to avoid Brexit. | Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday she would not rule out “associate citizenship” of the EU as an alternative for Scotland in order to avoid Brexit. |
| Scotland’s first minister told an audience in Dublin that “we should be open-minded about solutions that can help, whether it is Scotland or individuals, who want to retain their citizenship, their relationship with the EU”. | Scotland’s first minister told an audience in Dublin that “we should be open-minded about solutions that can help, whether it is Scotland or individuals, who want to retain their citizenship, their relationship with the EU”. |
| Sturgeon was reacting to questions from students at Trinity College Dublin about the notion of “associate citizenship” – which has been backed by Guy Verhofstadt, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator. | Sturgeon was reacting to questions from students at Trinity College Dublin about the notion of “associate citizenship” – which has been backed by Guy Verhofstadt, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator. |
| In her speech to the university’s Philosophical Society, Sturgeon said: “We shouldn’t be ruling out anything just now. People say to me – as I’m sure they are saying to [Verhofstadt] about that particular proposal – that is impossible, that could never work. Well, how do we know that? | In her speech to the university’s Philosophical Society, Sturgeon said: “We shouldn’t be ruling out anything just now. People say to me – as I’m sure they are saying to [Verhofstadt] about that particular proposal – that is impossible, that could never work. Well, how do we know that? |
| “We are going into a period that is completely uncharted, in terms of what happens now.” | “We are going into a period that is completely uncharted, in terms of what happens now.” |
| She added: ”We are going to have to be imaginative, innovative and creative in the period ahead, if we are going to come out of this Brexit scenario in good shape, without damaging the things that we value in the UK. So let us be open-minded about some of the suggestions.” | She added: ”We are going to have to be imaginative, innovative and creative in the period ahead, if we are going to come out of this Brexit scenario in good shape, without damaging the things that we value in the UK. So let us be open-minded about some of the suggestions.” |
| Verhofstadt said he was attracted to the idea “that people who are European citizens and saying they want to keep it have the possibility of doing so”. | Verhofstadt said he was attracted to the idea “that people who are European citizens and saying they want to keep it have the possibility of doing so”. |
| Sturgeon repeated her view that a second Scottish independence referendum is highly likely after the Brexit vote. She stressed that the Scottish government would be exploring all alternative options to Scotland being pushed off a “hard Brexit cliff edge”. | Sturgeon repeated her view that a second Scottish independence referendum is highly likely after the Brexit vote. She stressed that the Scottish government would be exploring all alternative options to Scotland being pushed off a “hard Brexit cliff edge”. |
| She admitted that a section of the electorate who vote for the Scottish National party voted for Brexit in the June referendum and also accepted that there were many things wrong with the EU that had to be reformed. | She admitted that a section of the electorate who vote for the Scottish National party voted for Brexit in the June referendum and also accepted that there were many things wrong with the EU that had to be reformed. |
| On Brexit being an opportunity for the SNP’s ultimate goal of independence, she said: “I have always believed Scotland will become an independent country and I think it will become an independent country well within my lifetime – and this may be the moment for that.” | On Brexit being an opportunity for the SNP’s ultimate goal of independence, she said: “I have always believed Scotland will become an independent country and I think it will become an independent country well within my lifetime – and this may be the moment for that.” |
| Her speech in Trinity, where she accepted an honorary patronage from the Philosophical Society, was part of a two-day tour of Dublin. On Tuesday she will be a guest of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, when she will argue for new, stronger links between businesses in Scotland and Ireland. | Her speech in Trinity, where she accepted an honorary patronage from the Philosophical Society, was part of a two-day tour of Dublin. On Tuesday she will be a guest of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, when she will argue for new, stronger links between businesses in Scotland and Ireland. |