Scotland is "most welcome" to join the EU as a full member after Brexit

A group of 50 European politicians have weighed in on the Scottish referendum issue and have written an open letter to back Scotland's bid for independence and full membership of the European Union.

The letter was signed by a cross-party group of politicians, mainly low-profile MEPs and MPs from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, Greece, Hungary and Malta, the Times reports.

The signatories said Scotland would be "most welcome" as a full member of the EU if it breaks away from the UK after Brexit.

Meanwhile Stephen Gethins, an MP and Scottish National Party's Europe spokesman said: "As this letter shows, there is a lot of sympathy among our European friends and neighbours for Scotland's position — the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, yet we are being dragged out of the world's largest single market by a Tory government which we did not vote for.

MSPs at Holyrood voted 69-59 in favour of asking permission for a second independence referendum to be held. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May however insisted that "now is not the time" because of the tight two-year timetable for Brexit negotiations.

Source: Bloomberg

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