The UK’s Foreign Secretary has offered a damning critique of the Scottish independence campaign by scoring the arguments for a Yes vote at “one or two out of 10”.
William Hague also described the view Scotland would do better on the world stage if it and the rest of the UK went their separate ways as “deeply misguided”.
The senior Conservative was delivering a speech to an invited audience in Edinburgh, which included consular representatives from other nations.
Mr Hague refused to pick out the strongest arguments he saw coming from the Yes camp when asked to do so by an audience member but said of the independence campaign: “Overall, it’s one or two out of 10.”
The intervention was dismissed by pro-independence campaigners, who said the Secretary of State was attempting to “lecture” Scots.
Mr Hague said: “I believe that those who say Scotland would be better going it alone with foreign policy are deeply misguided.
“They claim that the UK’s foreign policy and overseas representation is focused too much on status and power and not enough, for example, on trade and investment.
“They argue that our extensive overseas network is merely a legacy of empire, rather than something that serves the interests of the UK’s citizens.
“And they say Scotland’s core interests will be better served as a separate state. They are wrong on each and every count.”
His half-hour speech covered themes including jobs and growth, foreign policy influence, global security and clout within the European Union.
Mr Hague also said he felt British supporting Dunblane-born Andy Murray at Wimbledon and claimed there was no guarantee of an independent Scotland gaining access to the EU.
A spokesman for Scotland’s External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf said: “The Foreign Secretary’s arguments on Europe have absolutely no credibility, given that the biggest threat to Scotland’s continued EU membership come from Westminster’s planned in-out referendum on EU membership.”