THE business publication the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has argued that Scotland could more than punch its weight economically.

The newspaper, part of Rupert Murdoch's media empire, has carried an article telling international opinion-formers that Scotland's finances would make it one of the world's wealthier nations.

The WSJ reported: "There is now little dispute that Scotland on its own can be a viable economy. The claim that a penurious Scotland is a subsidy junkie has already been proved a myth."

Welcoming the article by Hong Kong-based Scot Craig Stephen, Linda Fabiani, former convener of the Scotland Bill Committee, said: "More and more informed opinions across the world recognise that Scotland can stand on its own two feet.

"The case for Scotland is strengthening all the time.

"Scotland is a country rich in natural resources, big on skills, attractive to foreign investors and a world leader in renewable energy.

"As the Wall Street Journal points out, it is objectively the case that Scotland pays more in taxes to the UK Treasury than it receives in expenditure.

"The longer that the anti-independence parties continue to talk Scotland down, the further they will alienate themselves from the people of Scotland."