The biggest con in history

Independence throws up an awful lot of what ifs; here is what I consider an interesting perspective on the independence debate.

If Scotland were to vote Yes in September, there is a strong chance that it could be negotiating with a Tory government.

Part of these negotiations would include the use of the pound. However, therein lays an insurmountable problem as just how willing would an SNP led government relinquish its control over its spending plans to a Tory government (the party they detest)?

We would have a unique situation whereby the Tories would be pulling an independent Scotland’s purse strings.

Assuming a currency union would actually exist in the first place as Mariano Rajoy said that an independent Scotland would have to reapply for EU membership, which would mean Scotland would have to accept the Euro as its currency.

A similar view has been expressed by Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European commission, EC president Jose Manuel Barroso and now Artur Mas, the Catalan president.

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So what are the alternatives? Well, it could use its own currency. Now the SNP have made no representations on the latter or on the Euro; to backtrack on its assertions regarding the pound would be disastrous for them in terms of public trust.

However, I think it is about time that the nationalists are very clear in acknowledging the potential issues with a currency union and come up with a plan B.

Unbridled optimism is not the hallmark of sound economic policy and it is the absolute responsibility of the Scottish government to come up with a more credible plan that actually makes sense.

If people vote for independence based on aspiration rather than common sense then nobody can complain after the fact as these very real problems would become apparent.

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That is how the real world works and it is becoming clearer by the day that independence is not what is on offer to the Scottish people.

It is one of the biggest cons in our history, or as Gordon Brown once called it, a form of ‘economic colonialisation’.

But maybe, just maybe I have found the reason why there is no plan B.

What if the above was to become reality, it would give Alex Salmond someone to blame (his favorite scapegoat, the Tories) when his economic promises do not materialise.

Gordon Harmer,
Brae.