UKIP vows to grow Scottish economy and cut ties with EU

Ukip has launched its Scottish manifesto with promises to “cut all ties'' with the European Union and mount the strongest opposition to a second independence referendum.

The party said its prospectus for the General Election is also focused on growing Scotland's economy to encourage Scots to stay and attract those living abroad to move back.

Proposals include keeping taxation at UK levels or lower and encouraging entrepreneurship in schools.

Launching the document in Edinburgh, leader David Coburn said: “The objective of our manifesto is to encourage Scots to stay in Scotland, build their businesses and employ their fellow Scots.

“This can only be achieved by making the Scottish economy competitive.

“The Scottish economy will not grow while there is uncertainty over a second independence referendum. Ukip is outright against there being another referendum.''

On the EU, he continued: “Scotland must fully leave the European Union and its single market, whose one-size-fits-all trans-continental bureaucratic rules damage our entrepreneurial society.

“The old parties in Scotland are willing to accept a semi-divorced relationship with the EU, where we can have legislation forced upon us.

Ukip is the only party in Scotland which wants to cut all ties with the sclerotic, undemocratic European Union and bring its powers back to where they belong.''

The UK is “shackled to a dying dinosaur'', Mr Coburn said, as he outlined plans to return full control over trade agreements and immigration policies from Europe.

Full control over fishing should also be brought back to the UK, but it is unclear if powers should reside at Westminster or Holyrood.

The manifesto also includes a pledge to “draw a red line at the transfer of further powers from Westminster'' to avoid “independence by accident''.

Ukip will insist the UK government “finally make good'' on the pledge to cut net migration to the tens of thousands, Mr Coburn added.

When asked where such a policy would leave Scotland, given its slower population growth than the rest of the UK, Mr Coburn said: “We should have more children. Remember that migrants grow older too, they don't remain perpetually young.''

The party is fielding 10 candidates north of the border, including Mr Coburn in the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat.

The leader, joined at the launch by Ukip Scotland chairman Calum Walker, said the pressure is on the party because the Conservatives are “trying to steal their clothes'' across the UK.

But Mr Coburn and Mr Walker insisted they offer a stronger voice on the union than Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who has made an anti-independence message central to her campaign.

“The Conservatives are quite happy to offer a referendum after the Brexit negotiations are finished, Ukip are not in favour of that - we have made a decision, we are British, that should be that,'' Mr Coburn said.

Mr Walker added: “She (Ruth Davidson) flipped-flopped on whether there should be a second independence referendum... she's not as strong a unionist as we are, and she won't stand up for the union as much as we will.''