Independence lite is right, insists Alex Salmond

Published on Sunday 15 May 2011 19:57

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has launched a thinly-veiled attack on members of his own party who have criticised the SNP's "independence lite" strategy.

At a crucial crossroads for Nationalism, the move will serve to deepen the emerging ideological chasm at the heart the SNP - between those who want full independence and those favouring a more gradualist approach.

The Scotsman reported on Saturday how the Nationalists have moved towards a watered-down version of independence, including the sharing of defence capabilities with the rest of the UK.

But yesterday, in the wake of reports of criticism from activists over the SNP's failure to fight for a complete break from the rest of the UK, Mr Salmond said the party was making a case for independence that "reflects the realities of modern world".

And he rounded on critics with a robust defence of the SNP's revised strategy, saying the issue had been discussed by the SNP parliamentary group and by the government.

The shift in emphasis prompted criticism from prominent SNP supporters, including musician Pat Kane, who described it as a "silly fudge" over the weekend.

Mr Salmond said: "The SNP reflects the modern realities of a co-operative and forward-looking nation.

"The SNP, for some time, has been presenting our case for independence in a way which reflects the realities of modern world.

"The resumption of independence is the resumption of political and economic sovereignty. How you then choose to exercise that sovereignty reflects the inter-relationships with principally the other countries in these islands.

"Most famously the SNP have said we're comfortable with Her Majesty the Queen as head of state, as Queen of Scots.

"We've also said that on exchange rate policy we'd see ourselves as one of the 40 countries in the world in exchange rate relationships.

"That doesn't make them not an independent country, it just says that they put the primacy of the relationship in economic terms elsewhere."

Mr Salmond also said his government would be willing to share military facilities with its neighbours under independence. "Many, many countries in the world share military facilities with friendly neighbours and there's absolutely no reason why Scotland wouldn't be prepared to do that," he said.

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The SNP would also retain Sterling immediately after independence, but in the longer term would look to join the euro.

Mr Salmond swept back to power ten days ago in a landslide Holyrood victory.

Labour MP for Stirling Anne McGuire yesterday hit out at the shift in the SNP's approach.

She said: "This exposes the intellectual incoherence in the SNP's case for independence.

"Defence policy and foreign policy are inextricably intertwined. Scotland's strong role within the UK means that we are intimately linked to the top-class of international relations.

"Our seat at Nato, our leadership in the European Union, our veto at the UN Security Council, our role in the G20 - all these would be lost under the narrow nationalism of the SNP."

She added: "The idea that Scotland can break away from the United Kingdom but keep all the army, navy and RAF establishments, personnel and equipment is ludicrous and won't fool anyone.

"But then the SNP knows that their plan for independence is so unpopular, they have to try and dress it up somehow."

Mr Salmond, though, insisted that an independent Scotland would have its own foreign policy.

He said: "There's no way on earth that Scotland would ever have participated as an independent country in the illegal war in Iraq.

"That stresses why you've got to have the ability and determination in order to chart your own way in the world, so that you don't get entangled into illegal and disastrous international conflicts."

Mr Salmond said that he will not hold an early referendum despite the party's historic victory in the 5 May elections.

The SNP's Holyrood majority, after winning 69 of 129 seats, cleared the way for the party to seek a vote on whether Scotland should leave the Union, but Mr Salmond insists his party will stick to its campaign pledge to hold the referendum in the second half of the parliamentary term.

The new Nationalist administration would initially focus on strengthening the Scotland Bill, which is currently passing through Westminster.

"This was spelt out during the campaign, people voted for us on that basis and therefore I will keep my word and trust and covenant with the Scottish people," Mr Salmond said.But former Tory Scottish secretary Lord Forsyth has called on Prime Minister David Cameron to ditch the bill unless the SNP gives the legisation its full backing as it stands.

He said: "I think we should say to (Salmond], if you are not prepared to accept these proposals, there is no point in us proceeding with the bill, instead of being on the back foot.

"The bill has not had its third reading in the Commons, so I don't see any point in proceeding with the third reading unless there is an agreement that the SNP will support it."

At the Conservative spring conference in March, Lord Forsyth said the Scotland Bill would be "the rock on which Britain will founder".

A fringe meeting of Tory party members overwhelmingly agreed that Scotland would not benefit from the tax changes in the bill, despite the party's support for it in Holyrood.