Anger as new UK treasury job in Scotland ‘to push anti-independence rhetoric’

The job of the head of the Treasury in Scotland will be to spread anti-independence rhetoric, the SNP says.

• UK treasury to open office in Scotland

• Post advertised for role to highlight ‘benefits of the UK’

• Job has salary of upto £50,601

The UK Treasury’s website has advertised the role for the head of its new office in Scotland, explaining that the successful applicant “will be expected to use their location and relationships to bring significant depth and colour to analysis on the benefits of the UK”.

However, the SNP have hit out at the creation of a new role which they say will be geared towards anti-independence rhetoric.

SNP treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie said: “The Treasury currently employ not a single person in Scotland - it is disgraceful that they should be spending yet more public money trying to stop the people of Scotland voting for independence when George Osborne should be doing everything he can to reverse the deep recession that the Tory/Lib Dem Treasury is responsible for.”

The role was created following an announcement by Scottish Secretary Michael Moore last month that the UK Government will conduct analytical work on the benefits of the UK in the run-up to the independence referendum.

The job description reads: “We are looking for someone to hit the ground running in this key role, so established relationships with some or all of business, academics and key opinion-formers in Scotland is required, as is experience and knowledge of analysis of the Scottish economy, along with the benefits Scotland derives from the UK.”

The job will continue until December 2014, the year the Scottish Government plans to hold the referendum.