As the London media wakes up to growing prospects of Scottish independence a key question to ask - would Scotland have more power as a part of the UK or an independent country that's an EU member?

That there's even a suggestion Scotland could be more influential setting EU than UK law tells you that the UK government's internal market proposals fall short of acceptability. But are key London figures so anti-EU they can't understand how it could be attractive to Scotland?

OK, simplify. EU setting internal market / trade policy - extensive formal consultation, meetings and votes, though daft to think all member states equal. UK setting internal market and trade - occasional informal meetings but mostly London diktat.

With apologies to the person whose thinking I'm borrowing, can't recall who, if you want to show Scotland is a key part of the union you have to do it by sharing power to an extent with devolveds - particularly on matters like the internal market. Current plans don't do it.