BANKERS REJECT OPPOSITION TO SCOTS FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

BANKERS REJECT OPPOSITION TO SCOTS FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
 
The Scottish National Party welcomed the statement from the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) today [Tuesday], clarifying a report in the Daily Telegraph regarding financial responsibility for Scotland.
  
In its statement, the BBA reject the article – which wrongly claimed that “Scotland’s major high street banks yesterday rejected calls for broad tax-raising powers to be transferred to Holyrood.”
  
The BBA statement says that: “It [BBA] was not commenting on Scottish devolution or on the possibility of further tax raising powers being ceded to Holyrood.  The BBA has not sought its members’ views on devolution or Scottish tax raising powers.  Devolution and taxation are policy matters for consideration at a political level in London and Edinburgh.”
  
SNP Highlands and Islands MSP Mr Gibson, who is also deputy convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Economy Committee, said:
  
"This is a very welcome and important statement, which helps bring accuracy as well as clarity to the debate on Scotland’s future.  There is a strong and growing consensus in favour of Scotland gaining real financial responsibility, so that we can take decisions to grow the economy and build prosperity and social justice. 
  
"That call has been backed in recent days and weeks by some of Scotland’s most successful business people – including Jim McColl and Sir Tom Hunter – and respected trade union figures such as Campbell Christie.
   
"The absence of real voices against fiscal autonomy does underline the strength of the argument for Scotland being responsible for our own tax and spending decisions, and the extent to which the Scottish political debate has moved on from Calman.  The case for financial responsibility is cast iron, and is going from strength to strength."