FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has backed the Scottish Government’s new economic strategy as "integral and essential" to Scottish independence.
The strategy was unveiled by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, who set out a 10-year economic plan that she said would offer a “radical and bold” approach to supporting businesses, growing the economy and reducing poverty.
Following the launch of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation in Dundee on Tuesday, the proposals received a mixed response.
READ MORE: How long would independent Scotland take to set up a new currency?
Scottish Trades Union Congress general secretary Roz Foyer said it was merely “paying lip service” to creating a wellbeing economy.
Foyer said: “The National Strategy for Economic Transformation has a sprinkling of good ideas and we have successfully argued for some strong lines on the importance of fair work, decent pay and the role of trade unions, but overall it is a missed opportunity to address the challenges before us and make real, transformational change.”
Businessman Sir Tom Hunter also suggested the strategy needs to be more business-led and improve productivity in the public sector.
However, other groups such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the Scottish Retail Consortium welcomed the new strategy, praising its clarity and ambition.
READ MORE: How a new Scottish currency could affect mortgages and pensions
Discussing the response to the strategy, Sturgeon said: “It’s a fact of life and a healthy part of a democracy that people will criticise Government strategies.
“We’re focused on delivering this strategy. I think it’s the right one. It’s got the right level of ambition but, more importantly, it’s got the right focus on delivery.
“The STUC were part of the team that put the strategy together and we’ll work with them, we’ll work with businesses to deliver it.
“I know Kate Forbes is absolutely focused on ensuring that we realise the potential of Scotland in the decades to come and the strategy puts in place the right building blocks for that.
“I would appeal to everybody across the trade union movement and the business community for all of us to come together right now and focus on delivering the ambition that Kate Forbes set out in the strategy yesterday.”
READ MORE: SNP ‘should start preparation work’ on post-independence Scottish currency
Asked how the long-term strategy fits with the SNP Government’s ambition to leave the UK, Sturgeon said: “It’s integral and essential.
“Independence doesn’t sit apart from the ambition to make Scotland a prosperous country economically and a fairer country socially – it’s part and parcel of that.
“The powers of independence mean that we can do more to deliver on those ambitions.
“This is not something that is separate, it’s all part and parcel of us wanting Scotland to be as successful as it can be and thinking about how we best equip ourselves to deliver on that ambition.”
In her speech to announce the strategy, Forbes said: “This strategy pushes as hard as possible with Scotland’s current economic powers, knowing that the macro fiscal, monetary and economic levers are all largely reserved along with key policies on migration or energy.
“We are separately working on an economic prospectus that outlines what additional steps we would take to make Scotland successful with all the powers of an independent country.
“That will be published in due course, but for now we focus on straining every sinew to succeed with what we have.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel