100 signatures reached
To: Government
It should be illegal not to accept Scottish Sterling
It would require all providers of goods or services in the UK which accept Bank of England notes to take Scottish banknotes on an equal basis.
Why is this important?
At the moment traders south of the Border can refuse to take such notes causing much embarrassment and frustration for visitors. Even the Scottish Secretary Mr Mundell, MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, in 2009!! said: “Many people, myself included, have tried to pay with Scottish banknotes in England, only to find them questioned. This is exasperating. And when a Scottish note is refused, that can even leave Scots in restaurants or petrol stations unable to pay for what they have bought.” Nearly ten years after Mr Mundell`s attempt at a private bill nothing has changed.
I don`t know a single Scot who has not experienced this embarrassment or indeed a single English person who has been welcomed to Scotland by being told your sterling is not welcome here. The time has come to stop this antiquated discrimination and bring in new law to stop it.
