Scottish independence: SNP has been "flushed out" over EU membership issue, claims Lord MacGregor THE Scottish Government has only opened talks over an independent Scotland's status with the European Union because it has been "flushed out" on the issue, a member of the House of Lords claimed today. EC President Barroso said an independent Scotland would be forced to re-apply for membership Nicola Sturgeon is seeking urgent talks with Brussels Leading think tank says the problem is with the process and not whether Scotland will become a member The allegation from Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market came as SNP Finance Secretary John Swinney told members of the Lords" Economic Affairs Committee that European Commission President José Manuel Barroso was "wrong" to say an independent Scotland would have to apply again for the European Union. The hearing took place as Deputy First minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would make a statement in Holyrood on the issue on Thursday. But there was further bad news for the SNP Scottish Government when a leading think-tank Business for New Europe said that an independent Scotland would face complications applying to join the EU. In his evidence Mr Swinney claimed that President Barroso's statement in a letter to the Lords committee was "not based in treaty." This was challenged by Labour peer Lord Lipsey who pointed out that the letter specifically said treaties only applied to member states. He added that Mr Swinney's defence was "the last refuge of a scoundrel." Mr Swinney said: "There are a variety of expressions of legal opinion, there was one just the other day there which was expressed by the professor of law for the University Glasgow who made the point in a broadcast interview. Professor Tom Mullin says there is no specific provision in the treaty that expressly deals with the situation of a member state breaking up and both parts wanting to stay in and that confirms the view that I am taking. But Tory peer Lord MacGregor said that Mr Swinney's vision for an independent Scotland's economy was "dependent" on EU membership and was a "critical issue for the business community." He added: "I have to say I am slightly surprised after all the discussion about the EU membership issue over recent months it is only now that our correspondence with Mr Barroso has effectively flushed out a letter from the Scottish Government asking for talks." Meanwhile Dr Daniel Furby of the Business for New Europe think tank said yesterday that Scotland's membership will "come down to politics" as independence movements also begin to flourish in the other EU states of Poland, Italy and Spain. "The problem isn't so much about whether Scotland will become a member, it's merely about the process," he told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland. The SNP have argued that negotiations could take place immediately after a "yes" vote in the independence referendum in 2014, but before Scotland formally leaves the UK in 2016. But Dr Furby said talks could exceed two years, particularly if the SNP Government presses for an opt-out on the single currency and retaining the UK rebate.