There’s a crisis in the Yes camp! Dennis Canavan doesn’t want to keep the pound!
Sorry, I got a little over-excited there. It must have been the shock that an ex-Labour MP doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the SNP on all policy.
But here’s the thing. It actually is a bit surprising. With the well-oiled, fall into line, stay loyal Nat machine we’re all used to it does jump out when someone disagrees on a sensitive and central point of their number one priority.
Canavan’s comments about currency couldn’t have come at a worse time. Already on the back foot following the latest UK Government anti-independence paper, the Yes campaign desperately needed unity.
I suppose they got that in a way. The Greens, the SSP and Mr Canavan possibly the surprise star of the SNP spring conference have banded together to back a new Scottish set of notes and coins.
The problem is it left the big players, the Scottish Government, out of the loop.
The Greens and Socialists wanting to do their own thing isn’t a problem or surprise. But Canavan is the bridge to potential Labour Yes voters. He needs to be on side and on message.
The SNP have already made overtures about the Better Together parties’ differing positions on currency, devolution and, well everything else really (a wee change from saying they’re all the same).
That’s true and fair to a degree but the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems aren’t arguing for the biggest constitutional change in 300 years.
People genuinely worry about the currency issue. It’s all money, after all. That’s why it is vital for the Yes campaign to find some way to put forward a coherent positions.
Separate voices within the same camp will be a benefit for some issues during this campaign. Not this one.
If Yes Scotland can’t convince themselves what currency is the best once their aim is achieved, what hope have they of getting voters on side?
I wouldn’t bet a Scottish groat on it.