Nicola Sturgeon claims UK in 'long-term decline' in independence push

Nicola Sturgeon claims UK is in ‘long-term decline’ as she insists an independent Scotland would have it’s OWN currency – but admits there will be border checks with England

• Nicola Sturgeon claims UK economy ‘is in long-term decline’ in press conference
• Scottish First Minister sets out new proposals as part of her independence push
• SNP leader claims country would have Scottish pound after breaking up UK

Nicola Sturgeon today claimed the UK is ‘fundamentally on the wrong path’ as the SNP leader continued her fresh push for Scottish independence.

The Scottish First Minister insisted an independent Scotland would be able to have its own Scottish pound and dismissed suggestions that Scots would be required to use passports to get into England as ‘utter nonsense’.

But Ms Sturgeon admitted there would be other border checks for trade between Scotland and England.

Opponents questioned how she could avoid an independent Scotland having to join the euro single currency if she sees through her wish to join the European Union.

The First Minister claimed that Scotland would not ‘qualify automatically’ to join the euro and stressed it was not the ‘right option’ for her country.

Ms Sturgeon gave a press conference in Edinburgh this afternoon following the release of a new Scottish Government paper setting out its economic proposals for an independent Scotland.

The First Minister tore into the current chaos at Westminster as Liz Truss battles to cling on as Prime Minister amid a financial meltdown. 

The SNP leader claimed the current economic travails were ‘a crisis long in the making’ and ‘not a temporary phenomenon’.

‘The UK economy is in long-term decline, the UK economic model is failing and failing badly,’ she said.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted an independent Scotland would be able to have its own Scottish pound

But the SNP leader admitted there would be other border checks between Scotland and England

Ms Sturgeon added it was ‘glaringly obvious now that the UK does not offer economic strength and stability or financial security’. 

She added: ‘There is an understandable human instinct to hunker down in the face of a storm and hope for calmer times.

‘But, for the UK, this is not just a passing storm. The UK economy is fundamentally on the wrong path. There is no real alternative on offer within the Westminster system.

‘The establishment consensus on Brexit, despite the harm it is causing, illustrates that.

‘For Scotland, not being independent means we are being dragged down the wrong path too – a path people here did not vote for.’

Ms Sturgeon admitted many Scots would have ‘big, fair’ questions about how an independent Scotland would operate.

She claimed that ‘few, if any nations in history’ had been ‘better prepared for independence than we are’.

In the Scottish Government paper, it is proposed that an independent Scotland would ‘continue to use the pound sterling for a period before moving to our policy of adopting a Scottish pound’.

Ms Sturgeon insisted it would not be ‘responsible’ to set a timetable for such a transition from using sterling to a new Scottish currency.

‘If you tie yourself into a timescale you end up doing it at a time that’s not optimal,’ she added.

The First Minister also reiterated her wish for Scotland to become an EU member.

‘Nobody with any credibility seriously suggests that Scotland would not be welcomed back into the European Union,’ she said.

‘And while there would be a process of negotiation, most people who know what they’re talking about on this issue are very clear that that would not be a particularly lengthy process.’

Ms Sturgeon promised the Scottish Government would soon publish another paper specifically on EU issues.

Addressing immediate questions about border arrangements, she said: ‘Scotland will remain in the Common Travel Area along with the rest of the UK and Ireland.

‘That means any talk of passports to visit relatives in England is utter nonsense.’

But Ms Sturgeon did admit that some ‘border arrangements’ would be needed between England and Scotland. 

‘What Brexit does mean though, when Scotland returns to the EU, is that border arrangements will be required to ensure continued trade in goods and services across the UK,’ she added.

‘None of this is insurmountable but it does require proper planning.’

Asked why she was not setting out proposals for Scotland to join the euro, Ms Sturgeon replied: ‘Put aside my preferences for a minute, I don’t think Scotland would qualify automatically to join the euro. I don’t think it is the right option for Scotland.’

But opponents of Scottish independence immediately questioned Ms Sturgeon’s plans for her country to have its own currency and avoid an obligation for new EU member states to adopt the bloc’s euro single currency.

Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr said: ‘Sturgeon appears to be asking Scots to swallow a change in currency from the Pound, to the Scottish Pound, to the Euro.

‘Massive upheaval, huge doubts about the ability for a country our size to back a new currency – and this is supposed to be less risky than staying in the UK?’

Ian Murray, Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary, said: ‘As one government u-turns as a result of trying to defy economic logic another launches an “economic” paper trying to defy economic logic.

‘No details on currency. No details on debt/deficit. And a wishful hope that EU will change its own binding fiscal/currency rules for Scotland.’

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