Who's pushing the Scottish snake oil?

Philip Stephens in the Financial Times accuses Alex Salmond of offering economic snake oil to the Scots electorate. Stephens - establishment figure that he is - naturally prefers Mr Blair's new message.

Of course [Scotland] could make its way in the world on its own. The real question was: why should it want to give up the advantages of its relationship with the rest of the UK? The Union had become a partnership of equals. If both sides could do well outside it, each does better within.

Stephens naturally approves of the new Blair formulation.

The argument for the Union can be won - in England as much as in Scotland - only if voters on either side of the border recognise the mutual advantage.

Mr Salmond, he says, is selling sweetened snake oil.

Partnership of equals? The population of England is 50m, the population of Scotland 5m.

Partnership of equals? Mr Blair himself has claimed that independence would cost each Scottish household £5,000 a year.

A smaller nation may benefit from closeness to a larger nation, but it's less easy to see how England benefits from the Union with its smaller neighbours and their begging bowls.

Perhaps glib snake oil salesman Blair would care to explain. Somehow, I doubt it.