IAN BLACKFORD was confronted over the SNP’s plans to remain in the European Union if Scotland votes to become independent and was forced to reveal the likelihood of his country having to adopt the Euro currency.
Scotland will make a bid to join the EU as an independent country if the SNP won a second referendum, Ian Blackford has confirmed. The SNP has been touting a Remain stance as Scotland voted overwhelmingly to stay in the European Union in 2016. Mr Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, was grilled on over whether this rejoin would require a currency change.
Host Stig Abell asked: “If there was a referendum and there was Scottish independence, is the idea that there’d be another referendum to decide whether Scotland rejoins the EU with the idea that Scotland joins the Euro and would be part of the EU that way?
“Is that what you’re proposing to the Scottish people? Vote for us, have another referendum and get the Euro. Is it as straightforward as that?”
Mr Blackford insisted the proposition his party is putting forward is for Scotland to become an independent country and a member of the European Union.
He added that the SNP did not plan to join the Euro and would be sticking with the pound.
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‘Vote for SNP, get the Euro!’ Ian Blackford confronted over Scotland’s bid to rejoin EU (Image: SKY)
‘Vote for us, have another referendum and get the Euro. Is it as straightforward as that?’ (Image: SKY)
He said: “We’ve argued that Scotland did not want to leave the European Union, there’s been a very strong Remain argument that’s been put here.
“Every poll has showed that that is the certain will of the Scottish people.
“We’ll be seeking the help and assistance of our European friends in becoming a member.
“As far as the Euro’s concerned, we’re not compelled as a new member of the EU to join the Euro.”
‘Every poll has showed that that is the certain will of the Scottish people.’ (Image: SKY)
The SNP MP continued: “Of course, the treaties do indicate that there is a preference towards doing that.
“But you have to understand an important distinction, you have to join the exchange rate mechanism as a transition to do that, and that is voluntary.
“So as we become an independent country, we won’t be joining the Euro, we will be staying with the pound as that will be the right thing to do as we transition to becoming an independent country.”
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Only 19 out of 27 member states in the European Union do use the Euro.
Sweden, for example, joined the EU after the requirements to join the Euro were in place.
However, keeping the pound in an independent Scotland would mean they have no input on monetary policy, such as setting interest rates.
In an interview in 2017 with BBC Newsnight, Lord King – a former Bank governor – said: “I think the problem for those who want to argue for independence is that in terms of this monetary solution, it certainly removes in my view the argument against independence, but it does so at the cost of making absolutely clear that Scotland would have no independent say over monetary policy.
“It would have to just accept the monetary policy coming out of the Bank of England in London, and it would [also mean] the supervision of the Bank of England.”
