As the global fight against COVID-19 continues to consume public attention, it can be easy to forget that the SNP is still hellbent on achieving independence at any cost. Even when that cost could be imposing a physical barrier between Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Now that Britain has officially left the EU, there is a genuine risk that if Scotland leaves the UK and re-joins the EU, there would be a hard border between the two countries. The EU has to control its external borders with non-EU countries. As a result, the SNP Brexit Secretary Michael Russell has gone so far as to suggest that the border question would be decided entirely from Brussels.
What would a hard border mean for those wanting to work, trade and travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK? Given how readily Brits tend to form an orderly queue, the SNP might not see border checkpoints as a significant issue. But all joking aside, the implications of a boundary splitting Great Britain in two would be disastrous for millions across our island.
Firstly, a hard border would inevitably cripple the Scottish economy. The rest of the UK accounts for 60% of Scotland’s exports, worth over £50 billion to the economy. Suddenly the 10,000 HGVs that seamlessly cross every day would have to go through customs checks and duty would be charged on the goods they carried. Scotland would be no more competitive than any other EU member country, and a large proportion of that £50 billion would likely go elsewhere.
Additionally, individuals in Scotland who wanted to visit family and friends in other parts of the UK would have to present their passports or even possibly apply for visas. For the millions of people who share social ties with other parts of the country, this would be a tragic turn of events. The SNP claim to be a cosmopolitan, globalist party. Still, their form of leftist nationalism is just as divisive as any other that seeks to split people up based on identity.
The BAME community in Scotland has a lot to lose in this regard. Scotland is obviously far from the most diverse part of the UK. If Scotland leaves, it will sever the Scottish BAME community’s links to larger minority ethnic populations in cities like London and Birmingham. Over half of Londoners are from a minority background compared to just 4% of Scotland's population. Why would the SNP want to cut Scotland off from some of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the world?
Overall, the Scottish nationalist movement has always been stubbornly divisive. The threat of a hard border only amplifies what Scottish Conservatives have known for years. But by allying themselves with the BAME community and others who benefit from Scotland remaining part of the UK, the Conservatives can build a coalition that showcases the unity and diversity within the UK and its importance to Scotland.