Nicola Sturgeon says British taxpayers would continue to pay for an independent Scotland’s pensions

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has claimed that British taxpayers would be set to continue paying for Scottish pensions if her country gained independence.

Claiming that “people will notice no difference” should Scotland separate from the United Kingdom, she stated Scottish people who had previously made state pension contributions to the UK Treasury would carry on receiving their payments.

Sturgeon’s official spokesman claimed there was an expectation the UK government would contribute to the pensions.

When grilled about the pensions issue in the Scottish Parliament, Nicola Sturgeon repeated comments made by Steve Webb in 2014, a now former pensions minister.

In 2014 he had said 'accumulated rights would continue to receive the current levels of state pension' but the comments were very quickly clarified to make it clear the government of an independent Scotland would have to pay its own way.

The SNPs Westminster man Ian Blackford had made claims that pensions would not be affected by independence.

A spokesman for Miss Sturgeon said: “Pensions will be delivered in an independent Scotland by the Government of an independent Scotland but there will be historic contributions made into the UK pot that are owed from that UK side.”

Nicola Sturgeon has also heaped criticism on Boris Johnson, as she argued independence provided an alternative to being left “at the mercy” of his “disreputable, discredited UK Government”.

The Scottish First Minister confirmed “preparatory work is underway” to enable a second referendum to be held – a commitment both the SNP and their Scottish Green Party partners in Government made in their manifestos for last year’s Holyrood elections.

Ms Sturgeon restated her desire for an independence vote to take place before the end of 2023 “Covid permitting” – despite Boris Johnson having made clear his opposition to such a ballot.