The European Commission (EC) have knocked back Nicola Sturgeon’s ambitions for Scotland to stay in the European Union (EU) in the wake of ‘Brexit’. In what will be a blow to the First Minister of Scotland, the Commission also confirmed that an independent Scotland would have to reapply to the bloc for membership. When the results came in Friday that British voters opted to leave the EU, the The Scottish National Party (SNP) leader pledged to “protect Scotland’s place” in the union. Ms Sturgeon announced she will set up a panel of experts to advise her on the country’s options to remain in the EU and seek a meeting with its president, Jean-Claude Juncker. A Commission source told the Scottish Mail on Sunday that, “Article 50 is the only legal mechanism to withdraw from the union — and this article refers to “member states”. A briefing note sent to MEPs by the European Parliamentary Research Service revealed that a “partial withdrawal” from the EU would be impossible. The document confirmed that due to the fact Scotland has not been an EU member as a sovereign state, it could not remain in the bloc if the UK withdraws. Applying to join, as an independent Scotland, would likely take