STURGEON UK WAS CRUCIAL TO RBS RESCUE.

Nicola Sturgeon yesterday admitted an independent Scotland would have needed UK Government cash to save the Royal Bank of Scotland.

She said RBS did most of their business in England and that both countries would have worked together to save them from collapse.

UK taxpayers now own 83 per cent of RBS after the Government were forced to save the stricken bank.

SNP deputy leader Sturgeon said Scotland "could have afforded" the pounds 30billion bailout.

However Sturgeon, who later visited a homecraft fair held at the SECC with her mum Joan, added: "The Benelux countries [Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg], came together to bail out Fortis Bank.

"In the real world, people come together to stabilise banks. RBS is a Scottishheadquartered bank -but about 90 per cent of its activity is in England.

"RBS was not stabilised just because it was a Scottish bank.

"It was stabilised in order to stabilise the entire UK financial system."

Opponents said Sturgeon's remark was an admission that an independent Scotland would have needed London's money to save RBS and HBOS.

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GET KNITTED Nicola with mum Joan