Arguments that an independent Scotland would be blocked from entering the EU are "balls", the author of Article 50 has told BuzzFeed News.

Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, who was the British ambassador to the EU in the 1990s, dismissed the assertion that an independent Scotland would have to "join the back of the queue" for EU membership, arguing that no such queue exists.

The peer also said Article 50 – which was triggered by prime minister Theresa May on Wednesday, beginning the formal Brexit process – could be revoked at any time, and it's feasible that Brexit negotiations will go beyond two years.

He added that, if Article 50 is followed correctly, negotiations over the divorce settlement between the UK and the remaining EU members must take place at the same time as they negotiate their future relationship.



Kerr, who grew up in Scotland, said that, while there is no provision which would allow Scotland to take over the UK's membership in the EU automatically, an independent Scotland's entry would be "very fast".



"The Scots have to leave the EU with the UK – if the UK leaves – then go independent," said Kerr. "Once they’ve been recognised all round as independent they can then knock on the front door marked 'accession'.

"That’s the bad news, but the good news is that it would be a very swift accession negotiation. The sort of rubbish people talk about – back of the queue, behind the Turks – that’s all balls because there is no queue.

"People who are declared eligible to join can join as soon as they’re ready to accept the whole of the acquis. Since the Scots would, presumably ... still be applying something very close to the existing acquis, they'd be in very fast."



The acquis – also known as the acquis communautaire – is the complex set of legislation, legal acts, and European court decisions that have accumulated in EU law since the inception of the union.