SNP minister Mike Russell has criticised David Cameron’s top Scots law adviser for presiding over a “kangaroo court” on the legal implications of Scottish independence.
• Lord Wallace meeting with legal experts to discuss Scottish independence
• Mike Russell brands legal forum ‘farcical’
• Lord Wallace challenged Scottish Government to back up pledges
The Education Secretary said there can be no faith in conclusions drawn by advocate general Lord Wallace who is leading a forum of legal experts on the issue.
Lord Wallace, a former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy First Minister, arranged the meeting in Edinburgh claiming that the Scottish Government has failed to provide credible answers to key questions on the country’s future after independence.
The objectivity of the forum, held in private, was questioned by the SNP which suggested Lord Wallace has come to conclusions already.
Mr Russell has now added his comments on social networking site Twitter: “Yet another kangaroo court masquerading as ‘impartial’ - farcical.”
After critical responses online, he wrote: “To be clear - the experts involved are not a ‘kangaroo court’ but there can be no faith in conclusions drawn by Jim ‘#Iamthelaw’ Wallace.”
The experts in the group included Lord Wallace’s predecessor Lord Davidson of Glen Clova, former judge Sir David Edward and professors from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, the UK Government’s Scotland Office said.
Also attending were Richard Keen QC, who represented the Lockerbie bomber’s co-accused, and Austin Lafferty, president of the Law Society of Scotland.
Before the meeting Lord Wallace challenged the Scottish Government to offer “credible” explanations.
“It is time for some assertions to be examined by independent experts and allow people to have a better understanding of the strengths of the UK and what differences independence would bring about,” he said.
“The current Scottish Government paint a picture of a separate Scotland that retains EU membership, retains sterling as our currency, retains UK banking regulations and gains a seat on the Bank of England monetary policy committee.
“So far they have provided no credible explanation as to how they would achieve these ambitions which, at best, depend on political negotiation with other states and international organisations.”
The forum considered the constitutional arrangements which the Scotland Office says have been significantly modernised through devolution.