Scottish Election 2021: Alba’s Alex Salmond claims independent Scotland should be debt free

Scotland should go for a “clean break” over debt with the UK during any independence talks, Alex Salmond has told a newspaper.

The former First Minister said Alba’s position was for the country to pay no share of national debt after separation from the union.

It comes in contrast to when he led the SNP government during the 2014 ballot, which said Scotland would agree to pay off some of the debt as part of a settlement.

Speaking to the Daily Record, he said: “The negotiating position of Scotland, in Alba’s opinion, should be for a clean break settlement.

“That is no debt and no assets shared, of international assets we are talking about.”

He added: “You’d start with effectively a zero borrowing position.”

The newspaper reports that Mr Salmond said the previous position had been based on a currency union with the rest of the UK.

The new policy comes as UK political parties have ruled this option out.

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