Most Scottish businesses “don’t want to have the conversation” about independence, the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry has said.
Tony Danker, asked by The Herald in an interview about the renewed focus on the independence question north of the Border, said most Scottish businesses he spoke to were “not convinced of the notion this is the right time to be having this debate”.
Mr Danker added: “I think that would be a diplomatic way to put it.”
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Asked whether there was any impact from constitutional uncertainty, in the context of the Scottish independence debate, Mr Danker replied: “The Scottish businesses I have spoken to are either not really thinking about it or don’t want to think about it because they are so focused on getting the economy moving again.
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“I think most of the Scottish businesses I am speaking to are not convinced of the notion this is the right time to be having this debate...They don’t want to have the conversation. I don’t think it is the politics per se.”
He added: “To be distracted by the independence question I think would be a completely missed opportunity for Scotland…This is the time we should be talking about recovery. It is also the time, whether we like it or not…that investment is being made for the next decade. It is in nobody’s interests to get in the way of that potential momentum.”
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