Salmond’s solid

I AM becoming increasingly irritated by the strident calls from the anti-independence camp for Alex Salmond to reveal his “Plan B” for the currency in an independent Scotland. In fact, I suspect that some of those on the No side have, in this respect, slipped from negativity to hypocrisy.

Those with any training in negotiation are aware that people involved in bargaining should never, ever reveal their Plan B, or fall-back position, for the simple reason that if your opponents know what you’d be satisfied with, they will then concentrate on undermining that.

Let me give you an example. Suppose someone is to engage in a negotiation and demand A B C D and E, but lets slip the day before that he’d be satisfied, if necessary, with B C and D; his opponent would then dismiss A and E out of hand and concentrate on the best way to undermine the others.

Now it so happens that I disagree with Salmon’s Plan A, but his hard-headed determination to stick to it – at least in public – shows he is a man who knows what negotiation is all about.

Stan Fisher

Whinfield Road

Prestwick, South Aryshire