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Trade unionists grill Alex Salmond on independence

Scottish Trades Union Congress

First Minister Alex Salmond faced a grilling in Dundee yesterday as he sought to woo Scotland’s trade unionists into backing independence.

The SNP leader got a mixed reception as he addressed a gathering of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, with answers sought on everything from tax to wages ahead of September’s historic referendum.

He promised there would be no disruption to occupational pension schemes and won murmurs of approval from the hall when asked whether his government would back continued public ownership of the London-to-Edinburgh East Coast Main Line and whether he could rule out compulsory redundancies in the civil service following a vote for independence.

His answer in both cases: “Yes.”

But the pithy speech stood in contrast to more slippery responses moments before.

Mr Salmond refused to be pinned down when asked what the SNP’s “plan B” would be if Westminster refused to agree to a formal currency union, saying only that his fiscal commission’s report published last year included options for “plan B, C, D and E.”

And the First Minister meandered off again when asked if his “Nordic model” of public spending for Scotland would be compatible with his strident support for tax cuts.

He voiced opposition last month to a return to the 50p top tax rate and told reporters last May of plans for a corporation tax rate of just 17 per cent.

But yesterday he appeared to duck the question, saying instead that it was important to retain “competitive” tax rates for the sake of private investment.

“If it generates more jobs, if it generates more growth, then I’m willing to do that,” he said.

And when asked whether his government would reverse current cuts to further education following a Yes vote, the First Minister yet again changed the subject.

“I’m not saying things aren’t tough. But no-one in Scotland would want to trade their funding situation for what’s been happening south of the border,” he said.

Speaking afterwards, STUC general secretary Grahame Smith said the First Minister had given a “strong performance” generally.

But key questions, “particularly on currency and tax,” had yet to be answered, he added.

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