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Nationalist plans on currency and tax are falling apart

Better Together Chair, Alistair Darling, has today challenged the SNP's assertions that a separate Scotland would be able to keep the pound, dramatically raise public spending and cut taxes.

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The leader of the pro-UK campaign was speaking as leading figures inside and out of the independence movement have severely criticised the SNPs plans for a currency union with the rest of the UK were Scotland to go it alone.

Recently the leader of the Yes Campaign has once again called for Scotland to adopt a high tax economy - in direct contrast to John Swinney's desire to cut corporation tax.

Speaking today at a meeting of business leaders in Inverness, Alistair Darling said:

"The nationalists are desperately looking for a credible position on both currency and tax. They have gone from favouring the euro, to a currency union and now their own advisors and members of their own coalition are calling for Scotland to adopt its own currency.

"Professor Kay, who Alex Salmond has described as a leading expert who we should all listen to, has said that a currency union simply would not deliver the type of fiscal and economic freedom that the nationalists have based their entire case on. The only place that they are left to go is to ditch the pound and set up an entirely new currency.

"This is not in Scotland's interests. It is not what the people in this country want. Having a different currency from our biggest market and nearest neighbours would have a terrible impact on our businesses.

"On tax, they are equally as confused. Their own fiscal commission said that there would not be an abundance of cash to spend if we go it alone, but every week they are announcing more and more spending commitments. John Swinney has promised to cut tax, while the person in charge of the Yes Campaign has today called for taxes to be higher. It just doesn't stack up.

"There is nothing more fundamental to the prosperity of our people, our businesses and our country than our currency and the tax regime. The nationalists need to stop trying to mislead the public with their claims and come clean about the true cost of separation.

"The reality is that we are better together with the rest of the UK. We have a single market that works and we have the same currency as our biggest and most important trading partner. Changing this will only harm our prospects."