Alex Salmond looks set to achieve one of his major economic goals nine years early thanks to the financial crisis that has devastated countries in the SNP's so-called 'arc of prosperity'. By Simon Johnson Scottish Political Editor The First Minister's economic strategy, published last November, set the target of Scotland matching the economic growth rate of small, independent European nations by 2017. This would be achieved "over the long term with access to a full set of economic and fiscal levers", the strategy predicts, with the new powers enabling Scottish ministers to stimulate the economy. But, less than a year later, and using no extra powers, the Scottish economy is out-performing most of the countries named in the strategy as the benchmark for which Scotland should strive. These nations - Norway, Finland, Iceland,...
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