Leading Scottish devolution architect 'would think about' independence

The former UK chief medical officer told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme that he would prefer the UK to remain in the European Union. 

(Sir Kenneth Calman)

Asked if he would back Scottish independence if Brexit goes ahead, he said: “I’m not sure. I’m not positive about Brext, I think our links with Europe are very important and Scottish links with Europe and medicine over the last three centuries has been extraordinarily positive, so I’m not particularly for Brexit.

“If we went to Brexit and Scotland decided to become independent, or that was suggested, then I would think about it but I’m not sure at this moment.”

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Sir Kenneth, chancellor of Glasgow University and father of comedian Susan Calman, added: “I’ve thought quite hard about it, because it is very much in the news, and I still find it difficult to find the reasons for being independent.

“The ability to link with the rest of the UK is actually quite important, and if we hadn’t I wouldn’t have had the opportunities that I had, to become chief medical officer for England for example, at least I don’t think I would.

“The link between the two countries is very strong in lots of different ways.”

The Commission on Scottish Devolution was convened in 2007 by Holyrood’s unionist parties to review Scotland’s powers within the UK and head off the growing influence of the ruling Scottish National Party, which opposed the Commission because it was not given a remit to consider independence.

Its recommendations informed the Scotland Act 2012, which was quickly superseded by the Smith Commission which was convened after Scotland rejected independence in 2014 to deliver “The Vow” of even more powers made on the eve of the referendum.

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The Vow, signed by the then Prime Minister David Cameron, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband, appeared on the front page of the Daily Record two days ahead of the historic vote

However, the then Daily Record editor Murray Foote, says his motivation for publishing the pledge was to ensure the politicians kept to their word.

He added there was no evidence it lost the campaign for Yes which he believed failed because the economic case for independence was not strong enough.

Alex Salmond hailed Foote, who stood down as editor of the Record in March, as “a new recruit to the independence cause”.

Foote came out in support of an independent Scotland this month.

However, Mr Salmond said he disagreed with Foote about the impact of The Vow, stating: "I warmly welcome Murray Foote as a new recruit to the independence cause but he heavily underrates the significance of the Vow which was a journalistic masterpiece but politically disabled Scotland at a crucial moment.

“It presented a No campaign then in total disarray with a rallying point in the final week of the 2014 referendum.

“The Daily Record provided an infinitely more credible vehicle than George Osborne and the Tory Government who first wanted to proffer the panicked promise of more powers.”

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The Sustainable Growth Commission, convened by the SNP after the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016 was designed to address the concerns of those that have rejected independence with a realitic analysis of Scotland’s economic prospects.

(Andrew Wilson)

Andrew Wilsion, the Commission’s chairman, said nationalists should pursue a “soft” departure from the UK, adding “what we would be hoping for is the softest of possible changes, compared to the hardest that we are seeing Britain dealing with in Europe.”

He said Scots were not “generally ready” for independence yet but suggested they are up for another debate.

“I don’t think people are quite ready yet, but I think they are readying, should the question be required,” he said.

“I don’t know when that will be, whether it will be months or years. That’s a really difficult call.”

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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to outline her plans for a second independence referendum in the autumn once the terms of Brexit become clear.