Scottish independence: Lamont pension warning

Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont. Picture: Jane Barlow

Speaking to more than 100 pensioners at the Alive and Kicking project in Glasgow, Ms Lamont said: “The White Paper claims to answer all of our questions but it doesn’t answer the question people are asking me all over Scotland – why?

“Why would we put ourselves in a position where our country would be six billion pounds worse off? Why would we risk a single one of the million jobs which are linked to the UK? And crucially, why would we want to share the costs of our pensions across five million rather than 60 million.

“Let’s look at the Yes campaign’s record on pensions – John Swinney admitted in private that he doubted the affordability of the state pension, then was sent out to say pensions would be better without showing his working.

“When financial experts ask serious questions about cross-border pensions, Nicola Sturgeon blindly asserts it will all be fine and insists we can have higher pensions because Scots don’t live as long. You couldn’t make it up.

“These issues matter but the nationalists are not taking them seriously and are prepared to take this massive risk with people lives just to get what they want.”

She added: “Right now, pensioners all over Scotland will be making up their minds and they are worried up their future and their children and grandchildren’s future. The Yes campaign has failed to make the case and that is why people will vote to keep the strength of the United Kingdom on September 18th.”