MacAskill describes SNP’s currency plans as ‘not just lamentable, but laughable’

22 Mar 2017

A former SNP frontbencher has described his party’s plans for the currency of a separate Scotland as “not just lamentable, but laughable”.

Writing in today’s Herald, ex justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said that criticism of the nationalists will “turn to scorn” unless they can come up with a proper plan for the finances under independence.

The remarks come as Nicola Sturgeon gears up for the second of a two-day Holyrood debate on whether or not there should be another independence referendum.

But as the First Minister prepares a new break-up bid, she has repeatedly failed to address questions such as which currency an independent Scotland would use and how it would cope with huge debts, deficits and a massive shortfall in North Sea oil revenues.

Mr MacAskill said: “The fundamental issues that lost the first referendum and undermine the case for a second – the currency and the economy – remain.

“Failure to address the currency issue is becoming not just lamentable, but laughable. Action needs taken before criticism turns to scorn.”

Scottish Conservative shadow economy secretary Dean Lockhart said:

“This is a cutting intervention from someone who, not that long ago, was at the heart of the SNP’s separation campaign.

“If even Kenny MacAskill feels the nationalists’ currency plans are laughable, you can imagine what the voters think.

“The SNP is rushing into this second campaign, and in the process is making all the same mistakes which lost the vote last time.

“The First Minister has recently changed the SNP’s position from flirting with adopting the Euro to possibly using the pound, while other senior SNP ministers want to use a new currency altogether.

“With so much SNP confusion over a fundamental issue, how can voters be asked to make an informed decision in an independence referendum?”

To see the original remarks, visit: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15173328.MacAskill__SNP_failure_over_currency_issue_becoming__quot_laughable_quot_/