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Top businessman banks on the SNP PM attacks banker's SNP support
(about 4 hours later)
The Scottish National Party has won support from a leading business figure as Prime Minister Tony Blair makes a flying visit to Scotland. Prime Minister Tony Blair has dismissed a top businessman's support for the Scottish National Party as "self-indulgent and absurd".
Sir George Mathewson, former Royal Bank of Scotland's chairman, announced his support in a letter to The Scotsman. Sir George Mathewson, former Royal Bank of Scotland chairman, announced his support in a letter to The Scotsman.
He backed SNP leader Alex Salmond for first minister and argued that the SNP and independence could liberate Scotland from a "dependency culture".He backed SNP leader Alex Salmond for first minister and argued that the SNP and independence could liberate Scotland from a "dependency culture".
It comes as the SNP also unveiled its policy programme for government. Mr Blair, who is in Edinburgh, claimed separation would bankrupt Britain.
The party plan greater local health control and community sentences for minor offenders. The prime minister launched a Labour campaign which warned that without Scotland Britain would "end up broke".
But Mr Blair is expected to say that the SNP's plans for independence would be prohibitively expensive. It's absurd to say that there is not going to be a cost Tony BlairPrime Minister
Tony Blair is in Scotland to boost Labour's election campaign Sir George, who helped make the Royal Bank of Scotland the world's fifth biggest bank, claimed Labour was creating a "fear culture" about independence.
Sir George, who helped make the Royal Bank of Scotland the world's fifth biggest bank, said Labour were creating a "fear culture" about independence. "It's difficult to forecast the future, but I see no circumstance where independence would be a serious [economic] disadvantage," he wrote.
"It's difficult to forecast the future, but I see no circumstance where independence would be a serious [economic] disadvantage," he writes. He also accused the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition at Holyrood of having a "lack of high quality leadership".
He also accuses the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition of having a "lack of high quality leadership". Mr Salmond said: "Sir George personifies the success in business and public service that we want to see for the whole of Scotland."
Mr Salmond said: "Sir George personifies the success in business and public service that we want to see for the whole of Scotland. The SNP leader added: "He speaks with great knowledge, authority and credibility, and I am hugely encouraged that he has decided to make his views public."
"He speaks with great knowledge, authority and credibility, and I am hugely encouraged that he has decided to make his views public." Sir George backed the SNP to take Scotland forward
Dismissing Sir George's comments, Mr Blair told a business breakfast: "You talk to real businesses, talk to the types of people I have just been addressing, and look at the impact of separation on real businesses and real families.
"It's absurd to say that there is not going to be a cost and a penalty - particularly when the SNP have got unfunded commitments, proposals for a local income tax, and when our two economies are so closely integrated."
Mr Blair's visit came as the SNP unveiled its policy programme for government.
The party plans greater local health control and community sentences for minor offenders.
The Liberal Democrats said the Nationalists were only interested in ending the Union and the Tories said the election must be about issues that really concern people.The Liberal Democrats said the Nationalists were only interested in ending the Union and the Tories said the election must be about issues that really concern people.