Nicola Sturgeon says Scottish pensions after Scotland becomes independent

Nicola Sturgeon has said British taxpayers will continue to foot the bill for Scottish pensions even if Scotland becomes independent.

The First Minister insisted 'people will notice no difference' if Scotland separates from the UK as Scots who have made state pension contributions to the Treasury would still receive those payments.

Her official spokesman went further and claimed that the UK government would be expected to contribute to the pensions.

Sturgeon's comments come after SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford and Finance Secretary Kate Forces said pensions would not be affected by independence.

The Scottish First Minister and SNP leader want to hold a re-run of the 2014 referendum by the end of 2023 but Boris Johnson has so far refused to grant permission for a vote to take place.

Murdo Fraser, from the Scottish Conservative Party, said: 'Nicola Sturgeon was unable to fully endorse the stance of her colleagues because she knows their outrageous spin just isn't true.

'Instead, she resorted to quoting comments from then pensions minister Steve Webb in 2014 – despite knowing full well that he subsequently corrected the record, and that the SNP White Paper was clear the Scottish Government would assume responsibility for paying pensions.

'The economic case for independence has never been weaker. Nicola Sturgeon and her fellow nationalists should stop trying to hoodwink the Scottish public and come clean about the harsh financial realities an independent Scotland would face.'

Opposition politicians disputed the claim, saying pensions were paid with current state revenue and claiming otherwise was “blatantly inaccurate”.

During First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Ms Sturgeon was asked whether it was now SNP policy that pensions in an independent Scotland would be paid by taxpayers in England.

The First Minister claimed there was no difference in this position to the White Paper in 2014, stating “people with accumulated rights” would “continue to receive the current levels of state pension”.

She said the “existing UK liabilities and assets” would be “subject to negotiation”, with an independent Scotland set to ‘pay its way’.