Ian Blackford has exposed the SNP’s pensions muddle

Amidst the Downing Street psychodrama, have we missed the moment the reality of Scottish fiscal autonomy finally dawned on the SNP? 

This week saw an extraordinary turn of events in London and at Holyrood. First there was an interview the SNP’s Commons leader Ian Blackford gave in which he stated the government of the remaining UK will be responsible for paying the Scottish state pension after a Scottish exit. The next day, Nicola Sturgeon was asked at First Minister’s Questions if the SNP’s position now really was that pensions in an independent Scotland would be paid by English taxpayers. Amazingly, she took the same brazen stance as Blackford.

The Scots are going to have really great state pensions — the best state pensions — and they’re going to make the English pay for it.

This is a full 180-degree turn from the party’s previous position, which explicitly accepted that the Scottish government will have sole responsibility for paying the state pension after secession.