Then the UK are entirely right not to guarantee EU citizens rights here.

Of course they don't. They're not giving anything outside of Article 50 negotiations, I don't know why anybody would expect otherwise.

No other government has asked them to.

That is absolutely right, it is the EU that are deciding that no negotiations will happen, no pre agreements reached and no guarantees given. As regards looking after their citizens they are not. The UK seeks some guarantees for its citizens abroad, the EU sees it own citizens potentially in a foreign country as just a part of a negotiating strategy. That tells us all we need to know about the EU.

I'm sorry but from your previous posts it seemed you wanted the UK punished for being the UK.

Brexit could be a lot of things of course and we don't know what it might look like. Similarly, you could replace Brexit in your above post with Scotlands Exit from the UK or Sexit and the arguments would be the same. I'm very much in favour of remaining in both unions right now.

Since we know that Scotland having a separate deal is now nigh on impossible I think all Parties should unite to get the very best deal possible for the UK as it seems the only option.

The EU is the difference and you'll probably find that Irish workers will require a visa to work in the UK post Brexit (and vice versa) subject to the exact same rules as other EU countries, rules to be determined by the upcoming Brexit negotiations. So why would an Indy Scotland inside the EU be treated differently to other EU countries? Even if the UK wanted to treat Scotland differently the EU would probably disallow it on the grounds that the rules should apply to all EU citizens.

As for borders. I appreciate that all sides have expressed their intent to keep an open border between the UK and Ireland but in practice that's going to be very difficult. Let's see what happens over the next 2 years but an open border is far from certain.

There is nothing in the Lisbon Treaty within article 50 that says discussions/negotiations can't happen until it is triggered, it is just a stance the EU has taken.

I'm still waiting on you pointing out where this attacks the English.

Scotland does 80% of it's trade with a free trade area called the UK. The idea the shrewd Scots would jepordise that to indulge the SNP William Wallace wannabes is fanciful.

Sturgeon is behaving in such a random and unpredictable manner its impossible to keep up with her. She makes declarations about all sorts of things without coming up with any plans or providing detailed information about how much Scotlands financial contribution will be or what form the border with the UK will take. We need to see her plans so that they can be scrutinised. The people of Scotland voted to put her in a minority government so its only proper that she takes this into account.

That would of course require changing another law that predates the EU , as we know the Irish can vote in all elections in the UK as they the Cypriots and Maltese did in the EU referendum ( unlike other EU citizens) . The Irish movement between the ROI and the UK whilst also covered by the EU predated it and I see no reason why we would change that as it had nothing to do with the EU.

The Spanish PM is responding entirely to internal domestic concerns - Catalonia plans to hold an independence vote in September, his government refuses to sanction it, and he fears Scotland would further trouble the Pandora's box that the Madrid-Barcelona tug-of-war has become.

Indeed they are and the EU are doing exactly the same with the UK, as they don't and frankly can't be seen to make it too easy for a country to leave. Although it doesn't mean that no deal can be made in the longer term.

Spain is a total red herring.

They've already said (on repeated occasions) that domestic UK politics are exactly that. The issue with Scotland maintaining membership of the EEA was (and still is) a domestic UK issue.

Because the EEA Agreement doesn't include membership of the EU Customs Union, it would be possible for England/Wales to be outside but Scotland inside. However, it would place Scotland in an advantageous position over England/Wales - with full access to both rEEA/EU and rUK markets.

The poorer countries of the EU may well see Scotland as a potential drain on resources and will not want another 'place at the table'. Has Sturgeon said how much of a contribution Scotland will be making to EU coffers ? Fundamentally though, I think the prospects for Scotland simply waliking into the EU without even applying are nil, France and Spain will block it and frankly I dont think we could afford to loose trade with the UK.