Alex Salmond has hit back at the unionist parties’ pledge to veto a currency union between the rest of the UK and Scotland in the event of independence by branding the decision “insulting” and “demeaning”.
The First Minister used a speech to pro-independence business leaders to attack the commitment made by Chancellor George Osborne, chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and shadow Chancellor Ed Balls last week.
He also claimed that a move to block an independent Scotland sharing the pound would damage business in the rest of the UK.
Mr Salmond said the Treasury’s position could impose “hundreds of millions of pounds” in costs on firms if plans for a post-Yes currency union were rejected.
He said of Mr Osborne’s intervention: “No one with a semblance of understanding of Scottish history and indeed the Scottish character would have made a speech such as that.
“To be told that we had no rights to assets jointly built up is as insulting as it is demeaning. To be told that there are things we can’t do will certainly elicit a Scottish response that is as resolute as it is uncomfortable for the No campaign it is yes we can.
“It is a sign of just how out of touch and arrogant the Westminster establishment has become.”
The SNP leader also rejected the intervention of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who said at the weekend it said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for an independent Scotland to join the EU.
Mr Salmond said no member state had suggested it would seek to block an independent Scotland from becoming an EU member.
Responding to Mr Salmond’s comments, Mr Osborne said: “We were promised a detailed response to the economic arguments that I, the Chief Secretary and the Shadow Chancellor made last week, but instead we got an empty speech.
“It’s now even clearer that Alex Salmond is a man without a plan. Detailed analysis and independent advice shows clearly that what is best for Scotland is keeping the stable and durable currency union we have now.
“The only way to do that is to keep the UK together. If Scotland walks away from the UK it walks away from the pound.”
For full coverage of and reaction to the latest independence referendum developments, see Tuesday’s Courier.