Donald Cameron scoffed at the suggestion from Ian Blackford that Scottish pensions would continue to be paid by the UK Government if Scottish independence was achieved. Mr Cameron believed the comment was “absurd” before pointing out the fractures which have emerged among the SNP who have disagreed over where the responsibility for paying pensions lay. The Tory MSP unleashed at Mr Blackford in an angry rant and disliked how pensions would become a negotiation tool for independence.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Cameron was asked to comment on Mr Blackford’s suggestions on pensions.
He answered: “They were absolutely absurd comments for any credible politician to make and the SNP since then have tied themselves in knots over this issue.
“The idea that following independence, UK taxpayers would continue to pay for the pensions of what would then be a foreign and independent country is simply risible.
“I mean, it’s absolutely laughable that this suggestion could ever have been made.
“The position has always been that the UK following a vote for independence will not pay for the pensions of those in an independent Scotland and they will become a liability of the new Scottish state.
“And to see people like Ian Blackford, suggesting that there is some kind of pension pot that would then be up for negotiation is absolutely absurd.”
Mr Blackford sparked an outcry after he suggested the UK Government would still be required to pay the pensions of independent Scots.
He argued it was right for those contributing to pensions to have their fair share paid back to them.
Mr Blackford claims he was misrepresented in his comments and said Scots who have paid National Insurance and other pension payments should be properly “compensated” for their contributions.
Mr Cameron was then asked about pensions in an independent Scotland and what other issues he is concerned about that have not been properly considered.
He explained: “We don’t want to see another referendum because we think there are far more important things that the Scottish Government should be doing.
“But if that referendum campaign were to happen, there are all sorts of issues that… those who are in favour of independence would have to address.
“And one thing is the issue of the border between Scotland and England and the rest of the UK.
“You’ve talked about pensions, currency is another major issue that has to be addressed and there are all sorts of different elements to the independence debate that would need to be addressed.
“And in my view, the case for independence has never been weaker and the pensions debate that we’ve seen led by the SNP over the last few weeks proves the point.”
