Nigel Farage calls for greater devolution in UK

UKIP leader Nigel Farage has called for greater devolution in the UK but argued that SNP First Minister Alex salmond’s dreams of independence are “just dreamland” and have been “comprehensively lost.”

'Either you're independent or you're not': Nigel Farage had some advice for Alex Salmond today. Picture: Getty

Speaking to the Press Gallery lunch in Westminster, Mr Farage said that his party believes in “a looser UK” outside the European Union.

And he called for more devolution of tax raising powers to Scotland and autonomy for England.

He also told journalists that if the late Baroness Thatcher was starting off in politics now she would probably join his party because of its position on Europe.

Talking about the Scottish independence referendum he said: “Alex Salmond is just living in dreamland. For 25 years he has got away with saying we can be an independent Scotland in the European Union.

“You can’t have it both ways old son! Either you are independent or you’re not.”

He went on: “On the currency I thought that the argument on both sides was wrong. Of course Scotland can if it wishes use sterling as a means of exchange. anama uses the US dollar. But it is difficult to see how independent a country can be if it doesn’t actually control its own currency and the interest rates that effect that currency.”

He added that it was “a delicious irony” that EU commission president Jose Manuel Barroso had undermined independence by saying Scotland would need to reapply to the EU which would mean it would need to commit to the Euro.

Mr Farage predicted that the Yes vote would attract just 15 to 20 per cent next year.

He said: “I think the SNP have comprehensively lost all the arguments.”

He went on: “The question now is post that referendum what is the logical settlement for the UK going to be?

“I find it very amusing Scottish, Welsh and Irish nationalism have been very trendy in the last few years but anybody who dares to talk about St George or put a rose on has been quite deliberately mocked.

“The English now demand a voice. It is completely unacceptable that we can go on from here that Scotish Welsh and Northern Irish MPs can continue to vote on issues like English education in parliament.”

He said that the the Scottish Government needed to be “more responsible for not just spending but raising money in Scotland.”