A surplus in international trade in goods is a key strength of Scotland’s economy. It’s strong not just in UK terms but also compared to similar northern European nations. Denmark sets the gold standard in exports, so is clearly a nation that Scotland needs to aspire to match in the medium-to-longer term. However, Denmark does not even come close to having our natural wealth, or as broad-based an economy as Scotland enjoys.
Achieving a greater exporting ratio per head than nations such as Finland and Sweden and being close to Norway is a significant result for Scotland. Becoming independent is the only way to make sure that our exporting success story continues and that the disastrous downturns in our exports to Europe are reversed.
By contrast, Brexit is posing serious threats to even some of the most successful parts of the UK economy.
But as long as we are governed by Westminster, rejoining Europe will never be on the table. Luckily Scotland has an alternative, all we need to do is grasp it. Now that the Leave vote in the rest of the UK has removed Scotland from the EU we have to rejoin and that will take time. We may have to wait as long as four years to become full members but we can in the shorter term join the European Economic Area (the EU Single Market) without being full EU members. That would take less time as Scotland already meets all the criteria having been EU members for so long. In other words, a Norway style deal that also gives us flexibility in our trading relationship with the rest of the UK after independence.
When we do so Scotland’s many vital advantages and significant untapped potential will allow us to develop our already successful exporting record without being held back by the UK. Escaping the dead hand of Westminster policies and the pressing new dangers of Brexit will be a huge boon to Scottish exports and the Scottish economy. They will thrive with the bespoke policies and attention they can only receive in an independent Scotland.