The Irish Sea border is there to carry out checks that would be too inflammatory to take place at the invisible border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. However, there is no convenient 96-mile ferry crossing between Marshall Meadows Bay on the east coast and Solway Firth on the west to channel controls. The only solution to convince Brussels that the integrity of their single market would be protected would be the hard-line Scottish-British border with checkpoints. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person.
“Magic thinking”
The SNP could argue that technology and digital customs procedures could smooth border friction. But Brussels rejected such ideas as “magic thinking” when the United Kingdom proposed them as possible solutions for the Irish border. This does not take into account any measures that the United Kingdom may decide to impose on Scottish products in response. The EU would be less flexible with Scotland than with the island of Ireland. The Scots would not benefit from an EU Member State like Ireland pushing for special treatment. Outside the United Kingdom, applicant Scotland would not be able to request exceptions to the Brussels rules, as an accession process that could take decades begins. It must promise to join the euro and comply with EU fiscal deficit rules if it can meet the criteria for membership. Scotland will have to rejoin the EU’s common fisheries policy and hand over control of its waters to Brussels.
