THE reaction of the business community towards the Growth Report was largely positive.
One previously Unionist owner of a small-to-medium transport enterprise spoke to The National on condition of anonymity. He said: “Many of my colleagues as well as competitors in my line of work, which deals with businesses exporting material to Europe, were already deeply disturbed about Brexit, but would not normally have contemplated independence for Scotland.
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“I haven’t read the whole report, but the main recommendations about keeping the pound at first make a lot of sense and I know that a lot of the farming community will be delighted about the push for more migrant workers to come here.
“If you had asked me two years ago if I would ever vote Yes, the answer would have been ‘you’re joking’. But after Brexit I am changing my mind and this report is certainly going to make me think even more about voting Yes.”
Alex Mackie, owner of Edinburgh Risk Management, said: “I haven’t read it but I know its main recommendations. There is definitely a major move now towards independence which is compelling me to read it and see how we can fulfil our ambitions.
“The problem with the previous referendum is that we had not thought it through about the use of the pound. I am with Jim Sillars to a certain extent that, if necessary, we develop our own Scottish pound. The fact that we’d have a 10-year period of sterlingisation sounds like a sensible move to me.”
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Ian Forrester, owner of the Aviemore-based tourism business Great North Lodges, disagreed about sterlingisation, saying he was “a little bit disappointed” that a move to a new currency wouldn’t happen quicker.
He added: “The material on immigration is fantastic, as that is what we need. This is not a racist country and with our ageing population we need young people to come here and know they are welcome.
“The report means Nicola Sturgeon must call a second referendum.”
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