Inside Track Interview
to parliament on the day the First Minister launched the Scottish Government’s consultation on the independence referendum. Te UK government’s strongest argument against independence is that we are stronger together than apart. Swinney has seen the books; could Scotland stand on its own two feet? “Yes, Scotland can survive on its own. Te evidence is crystal clear on that question. We contribute more to the UK than we get back in return. Tat answer also comes out of the fiscal analysis that is undertaken by our economists and I think there is now an increasing commentary broader than just this government or our party which supports and substantiates that argument and is picking holes in the rather absurd notion that somehow Scotland would not be able to handle its own resources. I have every confidence in our future as an independent country.”
Why then is Scotland constantly portrayed as some kind of subsidy junkie? “It plays into a suitable narrative which is about fundamentally undermining the confidence of Scotland and that is not something new, it has gone on for many years and certainly all my lifetime. I think I have in my house from the great archives I have been passed by some of my predecessors some dusty old pamphlets from the 60s and 70s which perpetuated that negative unionist argument
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www.holyrood.com 30 January 2012
that Scotland just couldn’t manage and I think it is repeated to essentially substantiate that point and because people have heard it so many times it actually resonates, but I think increasingly, and particularly after the 2011 election, people are much more realistic.” How different would an independent Scotland
because of the decision that the people living in this country had decided to take. On day one of independence that is the thing that would change the most because the culture of the people would be a product of a very big decision that the people of this country had decided to take.”
“Yes, Scotland can survive on its own. The evidence is crystal clear on that question. We contribute more to the UK than we get back in return”
be from the one we live in now? “Many things would be the same actually and that has to be said because there are many, many things that would remain absolutely the same. I think what would change is that you would then be living in a country that in political terms had powers and responsibilities to act on behalf of its citizens in a much wider sphere and in a more individual sense you would be living in a country that was much more self-confident about what it was able to achieve
Has his own view of what independence means changed over time? “Yes. I joined a
party in 1979 which was in favour of withdrawing from the EU and a whole variety of other things so of course the world changes and with it so does the definition
of what independence means changes into the bargain. What we have done is kept pace with those changes and maintained the relevance of independence because what independence is about is having access to the political powers that will enable us to create the innovative and prosperous society that we have talked about and allow it to be able to afford its social commitments to its population.” Would we be better off? “Yes I think you would be, yes.”
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