Where Serpents Slither

Chapter Six

A/N:  Readers living outside of Europe may not be familiar with several of the terms spoken by the characters. Article 50, is the provision in the Lisbon Treaty signed by all 28 members of the EU. It describes the process whereby a member state gives notice to quit the EU and the procedures that follow. It cannot be revoked by a member state once it is is invoked. UK is the first member of the EU (threatening) to invoke Article 50. Article 49 is the process whereby a former member state  of the EU that left under the terms of Article 50, can apply to rejoin the EU. Complicated? Best I can do to explain it, you could try reading the treaty ....?

Some hefty negotiations ahead for you there Henry. It is presently envisaged that both countries will equally share the existing military resources in order to honour our NATO obligations that will carry over to Britannia and Albion wholly and severally without amendment. The current opinion is by voluntarily moving Trident to Barrow it will sweeten the Scottish thinking in favour of the idea.'

'Does David seriously believe he can get the Scots to agree to all this. That they can have their independence, but only if they take along London and Ulster as additional burdens.'

'It's not so much of a burden Arthur. Britannia will be seen as less of a purely Scottish arrangement. London would be a big cash cow for Britannia, but unless London remains in the EU it stands to lose most of the international financial business it conducts at present – it will almost certainly lose the business of its transactions in Euros, with a number of banks and financial enterprises relocating elsewhere in the EU to retain and discharge that business.'

Sir Arthur Moore shook his head. 'Has anybody talked to the Scots about this?'

The question caused the Cabinet Secretary some discomfort, nibbling his knuckle for a few seconds before giving his answer. 'There have been no detailed discussions as yet, however, I have engaged in a cursory discussion with my counterpart in Edinburgh. Without rendering any details of the bigger picture and on advice and instructions from the PM in Cabinet, I have indicated HMG might well decide in favour of Edinburgh regarding the solution to Scotland's Shetland problem.'

Giles Bamforth cut in. 'Shetland problem, I didn't know they had a problem with Shetland.' His words were emphasised by murmurs of surprised agreement from Moore and Armitage.

Strang drained his glass before replying. 'Shetland is a proud, locally focussed community that does not subscribe to the tartan culture of Scotland. Its people are of Nordic heritage and they consider themselves Shetlanders first and foremost, then British and not really Scottish at all. The Scottish Secretary, who is a Shetlander, advised Cabinet only last Tuesday of the general feelings of the people of those offshore islands. In the event of Scottish independence Shetland might well seek Crown Dependency status within the UK rather than joining Scotland as part of a nation independent from the UK. If you look at the map you will see that significant amounts of the oil reserves and fishing resources Scotland will need to support an independent economy lie within Shetland's waters. These resources would be denied to Scotland should Shetland obtain Crown Dependency status within the UK.'

Armitage blew out air noisily. 'And we would deny Shetland that status if Scotland agreed to take London and Ulster into its new, independent nation '

'Precisely.'

Bamforth interjected. 'Albion will have very little manufacturing or tourist infrastructure to support a modern economy. Without London's financial services, it will fail.'

'Precisely.'

Armitage came back. 'But what about the political situation and what are the steps to make it all come right in the end, with everybody back in the UK and within the EU.'