The countries that make up the United Kingdom are stronger together than apart, the head of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said.
During a speech to business leaders at the Scotch Whisky Association, CBI director general John Cridland said the existing common laws and regulations make it more efficient to operate across the UK a stark warning against the prospect of independence.
Mr Cridland pointed to recent Treasury analysis of the currency options available to Scotland and said a currency union, where the UK accounts for 90% and Scotland for10% of the economy, would be “problematic”.
He said: “What would happen to the currency raises many unanswered questions. I think it would be difficult to sustain success by being apart.
“Would separate embassies work as well, or have the same impact for our commercial diplomacy, for instance, as the work undertaken by the UK Foreign Office?
“Our common laws and regulations make it more efficient to operate across the union, not to mention how they lay a strong foundation for us all to enjoy the benefits of our single market. We would all lose out if it were fragmented.
“There are many robust business and economic reasons not to break up the union, and the international successes we’ve achieved together are right up at the top of the list.”
The CBI represents 26,000 Scottish business, which between them employ about a third of Scotland’s private-sector workforce.
Mr Cridland used his speech to praise the Scotch Whisky Association for being “a prime example of how well the UK has and does work together”.
He also called on other businesses to follow the Scotch Whisky Association’s lead and be bold in exploring new export markets internationally and outlined his view on what action the Government needs to take to support UK exporters.
Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser, convener of Holyrood’s economy committee, said: “Trading between Scotland and England is very straightforward and the lifeblood for many businesses of all sizes, across all sectors.
“The ripping up of those arrangements could have a disastrous impact and those fears are being reflected in this speech.”
A Better Together spokesman said: “Being a part of the UK is good for Scottish businesses and good for Scottish jobs. We buy and sell more products and services from the rest of the UK than every other country in the world combined.”
SNP MSP Mike MacKenzie said: “Given the substantial fees that the Westminster Government charges Scotland for promoting whisky through UK embassies, it is a strange argument for the CBI and the No campaign to deploy.
“The powers of an independent Scotlandare absolutely essential if we are to successfully support businesses and make Scotland a wealthier country.”