Sturgeon on the spot as Ross questions ‘who’s lying to Scottish people?’ on rejoining EU

FMQs: Sturgeon clashes with Ross over Scotland joining EU

Nicola Sturgeon has clashed with Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross after an unnamed EU source claimed that there would be “no euro, no entry” for an independent Scotland. Last week the SNP-led Scottish Government published a paper looking to ease concerns that the country would need to drop the Sterling until, in the event of independence, the report argued Sterling with be the currency of independent Scotland until a new pound was established.

During a heated exchange at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Mr Ross demanded to know: “Who’s lying to the Scottish people, the European Union or Nicola Sturgeon?”

First Minister responded by questioning the view presented by sources quoted in the Times and quoted a number of alternative opinions including those of former prime minister David Cameron and the ex-president of the European Commission.

 Many countries in the European Union still use their own currency,” Ms Sturgeon added.

“Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden – a member state since 1995 still uses its own currency.”

FMQs: Nicola Sturgeon clashes with Douglas Ross over Scotland possibly joining the EU. (Image: BBC)

FMQs: Ross suggested Sturgeon had lied to the Scottish people about currency after independence (Image: BBC)

The Conservative leader hit back, branding Ms Sturgeon’s answer as “desperate stuff”.

Mr Ross told MSPs: “The First Minister’s big plan is actually to break Scotland away from by far our biggest trading partner – the United Kingdom – with nothing to show for it, in the middle of a global inflation and cost-of-living crisis.

“And she wants to put businesses and families through that in the next 12 months.”

He added: “The First Minister’s plan to escape the temporary issues of the past month is to create permanent chaos with jobs, mortgages, pensions and public services.

Sturgeon says ‘UK economy is fundamentally on the wrong path’

“[Prime Minister] Rishi Sunak is fixing recent mistakes – the First Minister would wreck our economy for good.”

He argued an independent Scotland would be rocked by “permanent austerity”, “permanent higher taxes” and “permanent economic chaos”.

Ms Sturgeon argued: “It is because I am focusing on people, businesses and communities and what is best for them – their wellbeing and their prosperity – that I want to see Scotland become independent, in charge of our own affairs and our own destiny, not continuing to be dragged down the wrong paths by Westminster governments.”

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Nicola Sturgeon: A profile of the SNP leader (Image: EXPRESS)

The legality of whether the Scottish Parliament can legislate for a second referendum is currently being considered by the Supreme Court.

But Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said in the event the Supreme Court rules against the Scottish Government over the proposed vote next October, then she will treat the next general election as a “de facto” referendum.

The UK Government has continually argued the 2014 independence vote was “once in a generation”.