DEPUTY First Minister John Swinney has welcomed The National’s exclusive report which busted the Unionist myth that the Spanish government would block an independent Scotland's entry into the European Union.
Spain’s top diplomat in Scotland, Miguel Angel Vecino Quintana, the Spanish Consul General in Edinburgh, laid out his country’s position in the strongest terms yet in a letter copied to Scottish Government civil servants.
He stressed it has “always” been the Spanish government’s policy not to veto an independent Scotland membership of the bloc The National obtained the bombshell document following a freedom of information request made to the Scottish Government.
READ MORE: Spain: We will not block independent Scotland’s EU membership
The report was raised at Holyrood by SNP MSP Gail Ross during FMQs.
In response, Swinney welcomed the news and said it “confirms the fact” that Spain would not veto Scotland’s EU membership.
Ross, the MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said: “Today’s National runs a letter from the Spanish government confirming it will not block an independent Scotland’s entry to the EU.
“They confirm this has always been their position and that there is no queue to join the EU – another Better Together scare story bites the dust."
She added: “Can I ask the Deputy First Minister: does he welcome this intervention from Spain?”
READ MORE: Spanish veto: How a Unionist scare story was spread by the media
Swinney began his response with a joke in reference to a request from the presiding officer to speak up as some members were struggling to hear him.
“I better make sure that everybody hears this answer presiding officer,” he quipped.
“I do welcome this intervention from Spain because it confirms the fact, as we've always known, that Spain would not block an independent Scotland from joining the European Union, and the confirmation from the Spanish Government is very welcome in that respect.
"But, of course, this comes alongside the demolition of a whole host of scare stories that were put around in 2014, like having to vote No to protect our European membership. We know how well that went.
“And then, of course, members of the public in Scotland were told that they had to vote No to safeguard the future of the NHS. And we now see that Donald Trump is over here trying to get his hands on the NHS.
“Well, on the watch of this government, we'll have nothing to do with that, but the same can't be said for the mess the Tories have got us into on Brexit.”
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