Scottish independence: Salmond faces pension quiz

ALEX Salmond faced calls from Labour leader Johann Lamont to set out how the state pension would be affordable in an independent Scotland at First Minister’s questions today.

Alex Salmond faces being questioned on the affordability of state pensions in an independent Scotland. Picture: Getty

• Alex Salmond faces quix over affordability of state pension in independent Scotland

• Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont claims SNP have not costed pension plans for independence

The row came after finance secretary John Swinney this week sought to defuse anxiety over the impact independence will have on pensions by insisting a so-called “triple lock” guarantee would remain intact if people vote Yes next year.

Alex Salmond faces being questioned on the affordability of state pensions in an independent Scotland. Picture: Getty

Ms Lamont demanded to know “what’s the cost of the new policy” as she claimed the SNP had not costed its plans for pensions under independence.

She said: “The First Minister can’t tell us how he would afford the state pension in an independent Scotland. That’s an absolute failure of office. The First Minister has no credibility.”

However, Mr Salmond insisted that welfare and pensions would be “more affordable” in an independent Scotland as he attacked Scottish Labour’s controversial review of free universal public services.

Mr Salmond said that the commission set up by Ms Lamont to look at scrapping some free services was “challenging the very basic fabric of the achievements of devolution”.