'Nonsense!' Humza Yousaf slapped down for latest SNP independence paper 'full of contradictions' about Nato and EU

The SNP has been criticised for their latest independence paper, which unionists say is "full of contradictions and nonsense claims".

The document, published by the Scottish Government, claims an independent Scotland would join the EU, have a seat at the table in the United Nations and be a full Nato member - whilst also scrapping the country's nuclear arsenal.

Hitting out at the policy document, chief executive of Scotland in Union Pamela Nash said the document shows the SNP "don't understand geopolitics", dubbing the party "completely out of touch".

She said the idea of moving nuclear weapons out of Scotland would be incompatible with joining Nato.

Humza yousaf

Nash said: "Just days after introducing a multi-million cut for housing, paying for yet another paper on the SNP’s constitutional obsession confirms the nationalists are completely out of touch with the people of Scotland.

"Once again, it’s clear that this latest document is full of contradictions and nonsense claims.

“As part of the UK, right now Scotland has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, is a member of the G7, and has a far greater global influence in tackling the climate emergency and promoting peace.

“For the SNP and Greens to claim a separate Scotland would join the nuclear alliance Nato and then move nuclear weapons a few hundred miles south, as well as join the EU without adopting the euro, shows they don’t understand geopolitics.

“Scotland deserves politicians who focus on the people’s priorities.”

Angus Robertson, the Scottish Government's external affairs secretary, will launch the policy paper today - thelatest in the Building a New Scotland series.

He said an independent Scotland would be a "good global citizen".

Robertson said: "Independence would mean that Scotland gets to determine the type of nation it wants to be on the world stage.

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"A nation that acts based on its values and principles, promotes human rights and development, and builds partnerships with other countries and international organisations to address global challenges.

"As an independent country, we could renew and strengthen our existing relationships on these islands and around the world - promoting peace, prosperity and climate action, as a good global citizen committed to safeguarding human rights and upholding international law and the rules-based order.

"Scotland has a long history of being an outward-looking nation and I look forward to setting out our proposals in detail."

Angus Robertson

But hitting out at the paper, a UK Government spokesperson said: "People in Scotland want both their governments to be concentrating on the issues that matter most to them, like growing our economy, continuing to cut inflation and improving public services.

"We want to work constructively with the Scottish Government to tackle our shared challenges because that is what families and businesses in Scotland expect.

"This is not the time to be talking about distracting constitutional change."