ABSTRACT
As The Scotsman forewarned, the Common Market would have ‘repercussions’ for Scotland regardless of whether the UK belonged to it or not. Even before the UK’s accession, Scottish civil servants viewed membership of the EU with a combination of alarm and excitement. In the aftermath of the UK’s accession to the EU in 1973, sections of Scottish society were sceptical of the worth of membership and the same could be said of the country’s politicians. Membership also coincided with the first attempt at devolution and here too the issue of European integration proved to be divisive. The 1980s marked something of a watershed. As European integration gathered pace, it became even more politicised in Scotland as the SNP campaigned for ‘independence in Europe’ and Conservative politicians at the former Scottish Office attempted to prove that Scotland’s interests were safe in their hands. But functionally, the existing constitutional arrangement raised doubts that Scotland was too far removed from decision-making in the EU. Potentially, this had ramifications for Scottish politics and the constitutional status of Scotland prior to 1999. Moreover, for some at least, concern over Scotland’s situation persists to the present day.
