Salmond To 'Deconstruct' Pound 'Bullying'

First Minister hits back at Chancellor's claims of rejecting a currency union with an independent Scotland.

George Osborne's intervention in the independence debate was "ill-thought-out and misinformed'', according to the First Minister.

It's after the chancellor stated the UK Government will not share the pound in a formal currency union with a separate Scotland.

Alex Salmond intends to "deconstruct'' the Chancellor's position on the pound when he addresses business leaders in Aberdeen tomorrow.

This week, the Mr Osborne made a speech in Edinburgh saying he would not be prepared to enter a currency union with an independent Scotland.

He also took the unorthodox step of making public official advice from the Treasury's leading civil servant on the matter.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have said they too are opposed to a currency union.

The 'sterling zone' is the Scottish Government's preferred plan should Scots vote for independence later this year.

The SNP administration has already dismissed Mr Osborne's speech as ``bluff, bluster and bullying''.