The Scottish Greens have published their new blueprint for independence - without mentioning currency once.
Co-leader Patrick Harvie was quizzed about the omission after his speech at a launch event in Edinburgh.
The Scottish Government, which includes the Greens as junior partners, has released several papers recently that have attempted to reboot the case for independence.
However, with the Greens being separate from the SNP they published their own distinct case this morning. Currency remains a key issue in the independence debate and the Government has backed a new currency “as soon as practicable”.
The Greens' 14 page document, which came to around 1000 words, was loaded with criticism of the Tory Government but lighter on detail about key aspects of independence.
Asked after his speech why the pamphlet did not mention currency, Harvie said: "I think people know very clearly that the Scottish Greens have always taken the view that Scotland should have its own independent currency.
“We said that during the 2014 referendum and I think things have moved in that direction. Other political parties, including the SNP, [are] moving towards that position, and the Scottish Government's view is that Scotland should have its own currency as soon as that's achievable."
Asked when this would happen after independence, he said: “I think it would be silly to set a date. What we have to do is set out a path to getting there and the first part of that path... is persuading people to vote Yes next year.”
Asked if he was showing contempt to voters by not mentioning currency or providing any details, he replied:
“Over the course of this campaign we will publish a series of these green paper documents setting out detail on the different aspects of this, but I think on the question of currency our position isn't new.”
He said of the Euro: “Over the longer term, the option would be there for Scotland, if we join the European Union, as I hope and believe we will.
“Obviously, it's entirely up to a future Scottish Government to decide that they might want to...start meeting the test for Euro membership. I don't think that's a priority at the moment, I think very clearly the first steps that you would need, even if you wanted to consider that possibility in 10, 20, 30 years' time, is to have an independent currency that's viable.”
The pamphlet backed a series of policy commitments, including a universal basic income and a four day working week.
In his speech to activists, Harvie blasted the Tory Government: “We’ve seen wave after wave of chaos from UK governments that Scotland never chose, now threatening to inflict austerity on the most vulnerable once again and showing a level of anti-migrant hostility which used to be the preserve of the BNP.
“We’ve seen Scotland’s Parliament undermined and over-ruled, even on clearly devolved matters.
“After all that, but before even worse is done to us, now must be the time to put Scotland’s future back in Scotland’s hands.”
Co-leader Lorna Slater also claimed independence will allow Scotland to tackle the climate crisis head on:
“Independence would allow us to learn from our neighbours, work with them and change our country for the better and provide a positive precedent for other parts of the UK to follow.
“Only with the powers of independence can Scotland ban new oil and gas fields and deliver a full and Just Transition away from fossil fuels.
“Only with the powers of independence can we fix the broken energy market and implement a Green New Deal that invests in our communities, our workers and our future.”
Pamela Nash, chief executive of the pro-uk Scotland in Union, said: “This woeful pamphlet doesn’t address any of the key questions that voters care about when it comes to the issue of independence.
“Instead, it trots out the toxic and tired lines we’re so used to hearing from their colleagues in the SNP.
“The Greens say they want a fairer, greener, happier country but fail to say why they only want to achieve this in Scotland and not across the UK.
“Scotland’s positive future is with our friends and family across the whole UK, pulling together to address global problems and rejecting the sort of divisive arguments set out by the Greens.”
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