Kirsty Hughes

"Independence in the European Union has been core to Nicola Sturgeon's arguments for Scottish independence, not least since the 2016 Brexit vote. But where did she and her government take their European strategies during her eight years in power? It looks like a case of the glass being half full, half empty,"

"Nicola Sturgeon has certainly projected Scotland as a positive, pro-European country and has built may constructive relationships across the EU. Independence in the EU has been her core goal. Yet the challenge both for her successor, and for the Scottish government and SNP, is to make a sustained, substantive, dynamic and energised case for that goal."

"There is a strong, positive case to be made about the political and economic benefits of rejoining the EU as an independent state. And there’s an argument to make that once independent, an accession process could be rapid – perhaps taking four to five years in total, not as fast as Finland, Sweden and Austria, but not far behind. But the Scottish Government has not always put this argument centre stage."