Scottish Conservatives press release
A group of leading lawyers have
challenged the SNP to produce credible currency alternatives for a separate
Scotland. Writing in two national newspapers, the experts explained that in the
event of independence there would be no agreement from the rest of the UK to a
currency union. It comes after the leader of the Better Together campaign
Alistair Darling exposed the First Minister’s stance on currency in a live
televised debate last night.
Alex Salmond has previously said he had “a
plan B, C, D, E and F”, but with just weeks until the referendum, none of these
have yet been explained. That has led to suspicion there is no preferred
alternative, something last night’s head-to-head went some way to confirm.
Last week, currency experts
branded the SNP’s position on the issue as “a deception”. It follows concerns raised by a
range of esteemed academic and business figures over the SNP’s claims that
Scotland would have a currency union with the rest of the UK under
independence.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson MSP
said: “Alex Salmond is selling voters short. They want real answers to serious
questions and he refuses to give them any. How can anyone be expected to vote
for independence when there is no credible plan on currency? We know there
won’t be a currency union in the event of separation. But the SNP, with only
weeks to go now, has not set out an alternative.The only other options left are
to use the Panama pound without a central bank, join the Euro, or create a new
currency, all of which carry massive risks.
“Leading businesses, responsible
for employing thousands upon thousands of people, have begged the Scottish
Government for answers, and none have been forthcoming. Today we see the finest legal
brains in the country raising similar fears. This deception by the Yes campaign
cannot be allowed to go on any longer – it’s a ludicrous impasse designed by
Alex Salmond in the absence of any credible plan.”
