Gillian Bowditch: SNP needs to bring business on board thetimes.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thetimes.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
THROUGH the 1990s, the question of whether or not Scotland’s two biggest banks could retain their independence was a very big one. And it was viewed, quite rightly, as an extremely important matter. In the corporate world, amid consolidation activity, the issue of where the decision-making is done is always a crucial one. Head offices are vital to healthy economies. It is difficult to overestimate the advantage to employees and the broader business ecosystem of being part of or close to a corporate operation which is the seat of power, rather than a mere branch-type function exposed to big calls about its future being made at a distance. In short, head office locations are a big deal.
A former economic adviser to Alex Salmond has warned Nicola Sturgeon against using an SNP election victory this May as justification for a second independence referendum.Former Royal Bank of Scotland