Scottish Conservative councillor Tony Miklinski told Express.co.uk that Scotland’s First Minister is prioritising her goal of Scottish independence above the nation’s economic welfare. He added that there has never been an economic case for independence and highlighted the £2,000 per head Scotland receives from the Westminster Government.
Mr Miklinski said: “The fact that she knows, Nicola knows what the true cost of Scottish independence would be.
“Nicola knows that we are subsidised to the tune of £2,000 per head in this country by the UK Government because of the wealth created in the south.
“Nicola knows what the impact on our employment would be if we went independent.
“Nicola can’t tell us what the currency will be, Nicola can’t tell us what our pensions and pay will be worth or mortgages will cost.
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“She knows all this and yet she is willing to drag us over the cliff of independence and probably walk away from it and say it is somebody else’s problem now.”
He continued: “The economic case for independence has never been made they tried basing it on the price of oil last time and that would have been catastrophic
“Post pandemic we need to get our economy moving, we need to get it thriving and the way to do that is by cooperating with Westminster, to have a cooperated Government here in Scotland, doing the best thing for employment and the general welfare of the Scottish people.
“That is not Nicola’s ambition, Nicola wants independent which is a very different thing.”
“The fact that he was found not guilty in a criminal court does not mean to say his behaviour towards women was acceptable.
“If she knew that and did nothing about it then it is a damning inditment.
“That exposes the two wings of the party: the pro-Salmond and the pro-Sturgeon.
“I think that has got a lot of life left in it.”
Ms Sturgeon told Holyrood during First Minister’s Questions this week that she was not aware of female civil servants being advised not to be alone with her predecessor Mr Salmond.
Ms Sturgeon was responding to a question raised by the Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser.
Mr Fraser said: “Were you aware of female civil servants being advised not to be alone in the company of the former First Minister?”
Ms Sturgeon replied: “No, I wasn’t.”
Of the Scottish Parliament inquiry into Mr Salmond’s alleged conduct, Ms Sturgeon said she was “absolutely committed to fully complying with the inquiry”, and would answer “all questions that are put to me by the committee, when the committee asks me to do so – unless, of course, they are asking me questions where my answers would breach legal requirements”.
She went on to add that she had already submitted written evidence to the inquiry – saying it was for the committee to decide “when and to what extent” this is made public.
