He added that the SNP needed the deal, having “failed to get a majority” in May’s Holyrood elections, and claimed it would “hammer everyone who works hard, everyone who runs a business and everyone who owns a vehicle.”<\/p>\n
Anas Sarwar of Scottish Labour said that the move was “more about the constitution than the climate.”<\/p>\n
Central to Ms Sturgeon’s independence hope is that Scotland would be able to regain EU membership after splitting from the UK. <\/p>\n
However, former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, claimed that Scotland did not have the “competence” to negotiate separately with the EU while it is still part of the Union.<\/p>\n
Read More: Prince Charles appeared to congratulate civil servants on Brexit<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n Speaking a week after the UK voted to leave the European Union Mr Rajoy said: “I want to be very clear: Scotland does not have the competence to negotiate with the European Union. <\/span><\/p>\n “Spain opposes any negotiation by anyone other than the <\/span>Government <\/span>of the United Kingdom.<\/span><\/p>\n “I am extremely against it, the treaties are extremely against it and I believe everyone is extremely against it. <\/span><\/p>\n “If the United Kingdom leaves […] Scotland leaves.”<\/span><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n <\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n Mr Rajoy made the comments at a news conference after Ms Sturgeon travelled to Brussels to lobby for Scotland to remain in the EU after the Brexit referendum result. <\/span><\/p>\n All EU countries have the right to veto new members, which <\/span>made <\/span>Mr Rajoy’s claims worrying for Scottish independence hopes.<\/span><\/p>\n Madrid is affected by <\/span>separatist <\/span>inclinations in Catalonia and the Basque regions of Spain. <\/span><\/p>\n Despite the UK <\/span>voting <\/span>to leave the EU, every council in Scotland saw <\/span>Remain majorities,<\/span> while 62 percent of the country as a whole voted to <\/span>Remain<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n In response to Spain’s <\/span>position,<\/span> Ms Sturgeon said: “I have a duty as First Minister to find a way to give effect to the democratic will of Scotland.<\/span><\/p>\n Don’t Miss:<\/strong> <\/b><\/p>\n EU leaders reacted frostily to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, but Ms Sturgeon’s pleas from Scotland to rejoin the EU after Brexit received sympathy.<\/span><\/p>\n Yet, several EU diplomats said that the only way Scotland could gain independence was to become an independent country and reapply for membership – a process that could take half-a-decade.<\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/Nicola-Sturgeon-humiliation-after-EU-leader-said-Scotland-lacked-competence-to-negotiate-1487008.jpg?r=1630931921392\")
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Ian Blackford was accused of ‘anti-English bullying’ of photographer[INSIGHT]<\/span>
Kevin McCloud’s Brexit admission: ‘Freedom from Europe’s restrictions'[ANALYSIS]<\/strong>
Prince Charles’ Iraq War ‘fear’ exposed in secret Tony Blair letters[OPINION]<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/Nicola-Sturgeon-humiliation-after-EU-leader-said-Scotland-lacked-competence-to-negotiate-3632752.jpg?r=1630931926723\")
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