Is the Scottish economy on a knife edge?
News that the Diageo rescue plan has ultimately failed and the company will be closing down its Kilmarnock plant, although investing additional funds in other Scottish operations, is another hammer blow for the Scottish workforce which has been under significant pressure of late. Despite the fact that the Scottish executive has been very aggressive in its stance against the Diageo move, which ultimately is down to Diageo as it is a private company, it is worth remembering that the SNP is looking to push through an increase in spirit prices. Is this exactly helping the Diageo situation?
There are concerns that the "internal looking" Scottish executive is becoming too nationalistic and anybody or anything that gets in their way is considered "wrong". If this is the way the SNP is running the Scottish economy before independence things can only get worse if Scotland was cut adrift from the rest of the UK and left to fend for itself. As we mentioned yesterday, Alex Salmond released his blueprint for independence which appeared to indicate that embassy costs overseas would be shared with the UK government by sharing properties. However, Alex Salmond has managed to upset Diageo, from which he expected favours, and has ridiculed England despite the fact he wishes to save on Scotland's costs after independence.
Is this really a joined up policy?
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