Sir Ian Wood’s comments at the weekend are a welcome injection of common sense into the debate around Scottish independence, following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union last month.
Sir Ian notes that, in voting for independence, there would be a “damaging” period of uncertainty for the oil and gas industry. On the wider point about independence, he notes that “bigger economic units” are more successful.
Sir Ian wanted us to stay within the European union but clearly does not see the decision to leave as a reason for raising the question of Scottish independence once more.
There is no doubt he is speaking for many, many families and firms across Scotland who know that our future is more secure as part of the UK family of nations.
The figures bear that out. Despite the Brexit vote, and the SNP’s desperate attempts to talk up separation in the wake of the EU vote, there is no popular demand for another referendum on independence.
That is because most people in Scotland have had enough of the uncertainty and division caused by referendums, and now want our two governments in Edinburgh and London to get on with the job of building a long-term plan to get us through this period of uncertainty.
Nor has the SNP explained why the answer to leaving one Union is to leave another four times as important to our economy, and one we helped build.
Doing so would only cause yet more instability and make it even harder for our businesses to get their goods to market.
People in Scotland decided by a substantial majority to stay part of the United Kingdom less than two years ago – and that decision should be respected.
The Nationalists now need to put their blinkered obsession with independence to one side and focus on ensuring the UK as a whole gets the right deal as we leave the EU.
That is the vital task that Nicola Sturgeon must now put into practice.
I am sure that that is an approach which will have the support of Sir Ian Wood and the Scottish business community.
Murdo Fraser is shadow finance secretary for the Scottish Conservatives.
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