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| Scottish independence: Currency union block could hurt firms, says Alex Salmond | Scottish independence: Currency union block could hurt firms, says Alex Salmond |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Any move to block an independent Scotland sharing the pound could damage business in the rest of the UK, First Minister Alex Salmond has said. | Any move to block an independent Scotland sharing the pound could damage business in the rest of the UK, First Minister Alex Salmond has said. |
| Mr Salmond said the UK Treasury could impose "hundreds of millions of pounds" in costs on firms if plans for a post-Yes currency union were rejected. | Mr Salmond said the UK Treasury could impose "hundreds of millions of pounds" in costs on firms if plans for a post-Yes currency union were rejected. |
| Last week Chancellor George Osborne said a vote for independence meant walking away from the pound. | Last week Chancellor George Osborne said a vote for independence meant walking away from the pound. |
| The UK government rejected claims it was trying to "bully" Scots voters. | |
| The row came ahead of the September 18 independence referendum, in which voters in Scotland will be asked the Yes/No question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" | |
| Hitting out at Mr Osborne during a speech in Aberdeen, Mr Salmond said: "I am publishing today an estimate of the transactions cost he would potentially impose on businesses in the rest of the UK. | Hitting out at Mr Osborne during a speech in Aberdeen, Mr Salmond said: "I am publishing today an estimate of the transactions cost he would potentially impose on businesses in the rest of the UK. |
| "They run to many hundreds of millions of pounds. | "They run to many hundreds of millions of pounds. |
| "My submission is that this charge - let us call it the George Tax - would be impossible to sell to English business." | "My submission is that this charge - let us call it the George Tax - would be impossible to sell to English business." |
| Mr Osborne's position that he could not support the Scottish government's currency union plan was backed by the other two main Westminster parties, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. | Mr Osborne's position that he could not support the Scottish government's currency union plan was backed by the other two main Westminster parties, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. |
| Mr Salmond said, "attempts to dictate from on high" the terms of the debate were damaging the democratic process. | |
| He said Mr Osborne's position was not an economic assessment, but a "campaign tactic", adding that the "accumulated negativity" of the campaign to keep the Union, would "differ greatly from the reality of life" after the referendum. | He said Mr Osborne's position was not an economic assessment, but a "campaign tactic", adding that the "accumulated negativity" of the campaign to keep the Union, would "differ greatly from the reality of life" after the referendum. |
| "To be told there are things we can't do will certainly elicit a Scottish response that is as resolute as it is uncomfortable to the 'No' campaign," said the Scottish first minister. | "To be told there are things we can't do will certainly elicit a Scottish response that is as resolute as it is uncomfortable to the 'No' campaign," said the Scottish first minister. |
| "It is, 'yes we can'. It is a sign of just how out of touch and arrogant the Westminster establishment has become." | |
| Following Mr Osborne's comments, Mr Salmond wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron to accuse UK ministers of bullying behaviour. | |
| The Prime Minister's official spokesman responded: "Mr Salmond is very good at penning letters but not so good at answering questions." | |
| Mr Salmond's speech also came after European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso cast doubt on Scotland's membership of the European Union in the event of a "Yes" vote. | Mr Salmond's speech also came after European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso cast doubt on Scotland's membership of the European Union in the event of a "Yes" vote. |
| Mr Barroso said it would be "extremely difficult, if not impossible" for an independent Scotland to join and that it would have to apply for membership and get the approval of all current member states. | Mr Barroso said it would be "extremely difficult, if not impossible" for an independent Scotland to join and that it would have to apply for membership and get the approval of all current member states. |
| But the first minister said the EU had admitted so many countries that a "pragmatic way" would be found in the case of Scotland. | But the first minister said the EU had admitted so many countries that a "pragmatic way" would be found in the case of Scotland. |
| Mr Salmond said no member state had suggested it would seek to block an independent Scotland from becoming an EU member. | Mr Salmond said no member state had suggested it would seek to block an independent Scotland from becoming an EU member. |