Scotland Lays Out Its Vision For An Independent Future

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond sets out the case for independence at the launch of a blueprint for the future. He envisages keeping the pound and the queen, but ditching nuclear missiles.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, UK (NOVEMBER 26, 2013) (ITN) - An independent Scotland would keep the British pound, the queen and remain in the European Union but have its own defence force and collect its own taxes, First Minister Alex Salmond said on Tuesday (November 26).

In a 670-page blueprint aimed at convincing Scots they should vote on September 18 next year to end a 306-year union with England, Salmond said there would be no need to increase taxes if Scotland broke away."This White Paper is the most detailed blueprint that any people have ever been offered anywhere in the world as a basis for becoming an independent country. It puts beyond doubt that an independent Scotland would start from a position of strength. In fact we become, independent, more promising circumstances than virtually any other nation in history," Salmond told a news conference in Glasgow.

With separatists lagging in opinion polls, Salmond's Scottish National Party (SNP)is hoping the blueprint will win over the many sceptics, answering questions the SNP has been accused of dodging.

"With independence we could have the powers and responsibilities we need to seize opportunities to build a wealthy and fair nation but also to face our major challenges. Because we will also have to tackle a legacy of debt, of low growth, of social inequality bequeathed to us by Westminster control of our economy. To break out of that cycle requires the ability and powers to mobilise and invest in our natural and human resources," the head of the devolved government in Scotlandsaid.

He said Scottish taxes would not be spent on nuclear programmes and that theUnited Kingdom's nuclear missiles would be removed from Scotland for good.

Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy first minister, has described the document as "the most comprehensive and detailed blueprint ever drawn up for a prospective independent country".

"It is built on the simple but powerful belief that decisions about Scotland should be taken here in Scotland by the people who live and work here. It sets out the economic, social and democratic case for independence," she said.

Britain's three main UK-wide political parties have argued against independence, saying Scotland would be worse off economically on its own and unable to defend itself or project power on the global stage as well as it can as part of the UK.

At stake are British oil reserves in the North Sea while debates over how Britain would split its national debt and the issue of the nuclear weapons are already fraught.

Pro-unionists have been helped in recent weeks by two reports from financial institutions. One warned Scotland would need to raise taxes and cut spending as North Sea oil revenues decline and its population ages and the second said independence would complicate cross-border pensions.

But Alistair Carmichael, the new Scotland secretary in the UK government, is aware of the power of wavering voters who gave the SNP a surprise landslide victory inScotland two years ago.

New to the role, he has toughened up the rhetoric, saying nationalists cannot make assumptions such as being able to keep the British pound.

Salmond said Scotland would be entitled to keep the pound and argued it makes sense not only for Scotland, but for the rest of the UK too.

"The Bank of England and sterling is part of the assets, they are as much Scotland's assets as London's assets, they are certainly not George Osborne's assets. We put forward in this paper our willingness to accept liabilities, we are also entitled to a share of assets and for all of these reasons, that is probably why the leader of the 'No' campaign, Alistair Darling, earlier this year, described a sterling area as logical and desirable. So if we are negotiating with people who think it is logical and desirable then presumably we will come to a logical and desirable outcome," he said.

A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taxation, in the UK's parliament in London, said under SNP plans, the UK would dictate Scottish fiscal policy even after independence.

Researcher Marius Ostrowski said keeping the pound would make Scotlanddependent on the Bank of England as a central bank and lender of last resort, and on the UK government's lead for its fiscal responsibility rules.

With 10 months to the Scottish vote, many of the 5 million Scots are still undecided.

The latest poll, published in the Sunday Times this week, suggested the gap had narrowed with 47 percent opposed to quitting the UK, 38 percent in favour and 15 percent undecided.

Scotland's bid for independence is being watched closely internationally, particularly in Catalonia where 80 percent of people favour a vote for independence from Spain.