Scots Nats insists they'll keep the monarchy, the pound and Doctor Who

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With ten months to go until the Scottish independence referendum, Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has shown once again that the Scottish nationalists, despite wanting independence from the most successful political, economic and monetary union in history, they still want to keep some of the great things about Great Britain - and they'd still want Britain, rather than the Scottish taxpayer, to bail out an independent Scotland's troubled banks.​

Today Salmond, a former RBS economist, launched the Scottish National Party's (SNP) historic 670-page blueprint covering all areas of life in an independent Scotland, which revealed he wants the UK, rather than the Scottish taxpayer, to continue to bail-out an independent Scotland's banks, shoulder its debts and fund degrees for its students!​

And it spelt out in bizarre detail that British shows like Eastenders, Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing and kids' channel Cbeebies would remain on air, in an attempt to counter fears from Scottish TV viewers that they would be cut off from the BBC.​

Salmond also makes clear he wants an independent Scotland to retain the monarchy and the pound. However, this would only be able to happen if London allows them to keep the monarchy and Brussels allows them to keep the pound. The SNP still believe an independent Scotland would be able to keep the pound in the EU, despite the fact they have been told several times by EU officials that an independent Scotland would have to ditch the pound and adopt the euro. All EU Member States, with the exception of Britain and Denmark, have to adopt the euro at some point, and this would include Scotland. Most Scots are against adopting the euro.​

The former Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, who is a Scot and who is against Scottish independence, has dismissed the Scottish independence white paper as "a meaningless work of fiction."​

Voters in Scotland will go to the polls in the historic referendum on 18 September 2014.

The Scottish Government’s long-awaited document claimed there are ‘three overriding reasons’ for Scotland to leave the UK and become a separate state.

It claimed independence will create a more democratic Scotland, as well as a country that is both more prosperous and fairer.

But opinion polls suggest the Scottish public is against ending the 300-year-old union, with the no campaign enjoying a lead of around 9 per cent.

Poll experts point out that the Scottish nationalists have a mountain to climb, and less than a year to do it, to get an independent Scotland.



Scottish independence plans dismissed as a 'work of fiction' as Alex Salmond insists he wants to keep the pound, the Queen and CBeebies​


Voters go to the polls in referendum on 18 September 2014

Scottish government launches 670-page blueprint for independence

First Minister dogged by questions about how he will deliver the promises

Alistair Darling dismisses report as 'meaningless... work of fiction'

By Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor



Alex Salmond's blueprint for an independent Scotland was dismissed as a 'work of fiction' today as he sought to reassure voters that it would not mean losing the pound, the Queen, or even their favourite TV shows.​

The Scottish First Minister was dogged by questions about how he will get the Westminster government, Brussels, Nato, Buckingham Palace and the BBC to agree to his ambitious plans.​

He launched his historic 670-page blueprint covering all areas of life in an independent Scotland, which revealed he wants the UK to continue to bail-out Scotland's banks, shoulder its debts and fund degrees for its students.​

And it spelt out in bizarre detail that shows like Eastenders, Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing and kids' channel Cbeebies would remain on air, in an attempt to counter fears from TV viewers that they would be cut off from the BBC.​


Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, at today's launch of the White Paper for Scottish independence at the Science Museum Glasgow, revealed that he wants the English taxpayer to pay for an independent Scotland​

Voters in Scotland will go to the polls in the historic referendum on 18 September 2014.​

The Scottish Government’s long-awaited document claimed there are ‘three overriding reasons’ for Scotland to leave the UK and become a separate state.​

It claimed independence will create a more democratic Scotland, as well as a country that is both more prosperous and fairer. ​

But opinion polls suggest the public is against ending the 300-year-old union, with the no campaign enjoying a lead of around 9 per cent.

The document claims that a Yes vote will mean ‘the most important decisions about our economy and society will be taken by the people who care most about Scotland, that is by the people of Scotland’.​


Mr Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hold copies of Scotland's Future, claiming it sets out how a Yes vote in next year's referendum could pave the way for a new era for the nation​


At a packed press conference the Scottish National Party set out its case for independence in the glare of the media spotlight​


Mr Salmond made clear he wants the Queen to remain as head of state if Scotland becomes independent, but Buckingham Palace would have to agree​


Salmond had tried to reassure Scots that their favourite BBC shows, like Doctor Who, would still be aired in an independent Scotland​

But critics noted that most of the decisions are out of Mr Salmond’s hands.​

Alistair Darling, the former Labour chancellor leading the Better Together campaign against independence, dismissed the report as 'a work of fiction' with 'false promises and meaningless assertions'.​

He added: 'It is a fantasy to say we can leave the UK but still keep all the benefits of UK membership. The White Paper is a work of fiction. It is thick with false promises and meaningless assertions.​

'Instead of a credible and costed plan, we have a wish-list of political promises without any answers on how Alex Salmond would pay for them.' ​

The SNP wants to keep the pound, but the UK Treasury and the EU have made clear that will not be possible.​

Tory Chancellor George Osborne, Lib Dem treasury minister Danny Alexander and Labour’s Ed Balls have all made clear they would not agree to an independent Scotland using the pound in a ‘sterling zone’.​

The Scottish government also claims it would keep the Queen as the head of state, but that would have to be agreed with Buckingham Palace.​

Taking questions at a press conference today Mr Salmond was also pressed on the fate of popular TV programmes currently shown on the BBC.​

He was forced to insist that the likes of Strictly Come Dancing and Doctor Who would remain on screens, reassuring dance and sci-fi fans that independence would not deny them of their favourite shows.​

The document states that the new Scottish Broadcasting Service (SBS) will work with the BBC to provide programmes, and will opt out of BBC1 and BBC2 'when appropriate'.​

'Current programming like EastEnders, Doctor Who, and Strictly Come Dancing and channels like CBeebies, will still be available in Scotland,' it adds.​

Mr Salmond said the paper provided the answers to 650 detailed questions on independence.​

He continued: 'Ultimately at the heart of this debate there is only one question and one choice.​

'Do we, the people who live and work in Scotland, believe that we are the best people to take decisions about Scotland's future?​

'That question will be the subject of an impassioned and, I hope, positive debate between now and next September.'​

He added: 'As First Minister, I want everyone, whatever their viewpoint, to play their part in thinking about the sort of country we wish to become.​

'That's the most important thing about this referendum. It won't be decided by me, it won't be decided by our opponents, it won't be decided by the media - it will be decided by the people. Scotland's future is now in Scotland's hands.'​

The SNP administration also sets out a number of promises if it was elected as the first government of a newly-independent Scotland, with Nationalists pledging ‘transformational extension of childcare’ to help working parents, a cut in corporation tax to boost business and a simplified and fairer tax system.​

They also pledge to end controversial welfare reforms brought in by Westminster by axing the so-called ‘bedroom tax’ and halting the roll-out of Universal Credit and personal independence payments.​

WHAT WOULD REALLY CHANGE IF SCOTLAND IS INDEPENDENT?​



Alex Salmond sought to win over voters to the idea of independence with a long list of costly promises which he claimed could only be delivered if Scotland left the UK.​

They include:​

Free childcare for all one-year-olds​

Cut corporation tax to 3% below the UK​

Scrap the 'bedroom tax' benefit changes​

Halt the roll-out of Universal Credit welfare reforms​


Renationalise the Royal Mail​

Removing Trident nuclear weapons from Scotland by 2020​


Open 90 new embassies and consulates​





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