Parties To Set Out Economic Policy

Parties against independence will be challenged to reveal how they would run an independent Scotland.

Yes Scotland will urge all political parties to come up with their own economic and social policy if Scotland gains the full powers of independence.

Labour, in particular, will be asked to set out "its likely economic approach'' in the event of a Yes vote at Holyrood's Economy Committee.

The committee will hear from Better Together chairman Alistair Darling, a Labour MP, alongside campaign director Blair McDougall, followed by Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins and advisory board chairman Dennis Canavan, a former Labour MP.

Better Together - the cross-party unionist alliance of Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats - will set out the "positive vision'' for remaining in the UK.

Yes Scotland said: "The starting point for an independent Scotland will be the framework set out in Scotland's Future, but we would encourage the committee to explore with all the political parties in Scotland their vision of economic and social policy with the full powers of independence.

"We have no doubt that the Scottish Labour Party, if elected as the first government of an independent Scotland, would take forward distinct policies from the SNP and it would be of benefit to the wider debate if the Labour Party, in particular, was asked for more details of its likely economic approach.''

Better Together campaign director Blair McDougall said: "Alistair Darling and I will be setting out our positive vision for why we think the brightest future for Scotland is as part of the UK.

"By pooling and sharing our resources across an economy of 63 million people in the UK, rather than just five million people in Scotland, we are best-placed to pay for our schools, hospitals and pensions.

"As well as setting out why we passionately believe as proud Scots that the best way to secure greater prosperity for Scotland is to remain in the UK, we will not shy away from highlighting Alex Salmond's failure to answer fundamental questions.

"Whether it's on what would replace the pound, how our pensions would be secured or what would happen to the funding for our public services, the nationalists have completely failed to come clean with the Scottish people.

"As part of the UK we can have the best of both worlds - a strong Scottish Parliament, with the guarantee of more powers for Scotland, backed up by the strength, security and stability of being part of the larger UK. Only separation puts that at risk.''