Scottish vote will trigger change in UK, claims Welsh first minister

The United Kingdom will have to change substantially after Scotland’s independence referendum, no matter what way the vote goes, says Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones.

“Whatever happens in Scotland next year [September], the UK can’t just continue as before. There will have to be a debate about what the constitution should look like,” said Mr Jones, who will speak in Dublin later today at the Institute of International and European Affairs.

The independence debate has intensified following Tuesday's publication of the government's plans, for which first minister Alex Salmond has been criticised in some quarters over a wish-list they say should have been a statement of policies.

Mr Jones was categorical on Mr Salmond’s plan to continue with sterling. Scotland could have its own currency pegged to sterling, it could join the euro or it could set up its own independent currency.

However, it could not continue to use sterling and expect to have control, or influence over the monetary policy being followed by England, Wales and Northern Ireland, he said yesterday.

Currency problems
"We can't see how you can have a currency where you have two different sovereign governments that have to decide on monetary policy. You either have an independent body, or you have some kind of system where you have to get agreement," he said.

“Of course they can have a pound, there is no copyright on the name. But an independent Scotland could not possibly try to influence the monetary policy of another independent state – that doesn’t work,” he went on.

What would his message be for an Irish audience? “The message we want to get across is that the UK is very different now, it always had multiple nationalities and identities. The shorthand in Ireland is that it is ‘all just England’, but that isn’t the case,” Mr Jones said.

“It is a matter for the people of Scotland. The argument in Scotland is that it is ‘versus England’. But there is a Welsh point of view and opinion on this, and it is important that that is reflected. Of course there are effects outside of Scotland,” he said.

Following the independence referendum, a UK-wide constitutional convention will have to be held to agree “a stable and lasting constitutional settlement”.

“The first thing you need is that we get rid of this ability that Westminster has to abolish the Welsh assembly, or the Scottish parliament without even a vote. That can’t be right, even if it is only a theoretical possibility.”

The devolved institutions in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh were set up under different rules, he said. “In Scotland everything is devolved unless it is specifically reserved to Westminster.”

Powers conferred
The rules in Northern Ireland are similar, but with some variations. "In Wales, our powers are specifically conferred; unless something is specifically given to us it is not devolved. It is the opposite of Scotland, there is no rhyme or reason to that."

Meanwhile, the Scottish government yesterday insisted that it will become an independent member state of the European Union from the date of independence after “smooth and timely” negotiations.

EU law supports its view, it said. “The second and more pragmatic point is simply that it would be against the self-interest of the EU collectively, and of the member states individually, to seek to deprive Scotland of EU membership.”