Scottish independence: Scotland would face battle to keep pound sterling

AN INDEPENDENT Scotland could face a battle to keep using the pound, according to Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander, who has warned it would not be a “straightforward” process.

The Liberal Democrat MP raised doubts about the flagship SNP plans for a “sterling zone” which would include Scotland.

“That’s a big ‘if’,” Mr Alexander said yesterday. “We’ve had no approaches from the Scottish Government yet to discuss this subject.”

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Asked if the Treasury could block Scotland from using the pound, he added: “The currency is a major one for independence and the options are not straightforward because the Scottish Government says it wants to have complete independence of fiscal policy.

“But what we’ve seen in the eurozone are the problems created in a monetary union having different countries with completely independent fiscal policies and the risks that causes.”