AN independent Scotland would face substantial tax hikes if it wanted to replicate the Scandinavian levels of social provision often lauded by the SNP, Alistair Carmichael warned in a speech in Denmark.

The Scottish Secretary argued that remaining part of the UK would give Scotland a far better chance to achieve the aims of Nordic-style prosperity, social justice and public services.

In a speech at the University of Copenhagen, Liberal Democrat Mr Carmichael accused the Nationalist Government's enthusiasm for the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian models of social provision as merely skin deep as it was not prepared to foot the higher bill.

"If they really want to create Scandinavia in Scotland, let them come forward with a comprehensive social policy, a detailed and realistic tax policy and a plan for an independent currency and central bank.

"The reality is that life is about choices. You cannot have a low-tax economy paying for Scandinavian levels of social provision."

During his two-day visit to Denmark, in which he will meet Danish ministers and business leaders, the Secretary of State noted how Denmark's impressive social system was built on a tax take that was the highest in Europe in percentage terms; 47% of GDP compared to the UK's 36%.

"The UK Government takes a quarter less of peoples' income in tax," said Mr Carmichael.

"But instead of telling people in Scotland how the Scottish Government would increase taxes to pay for a Scandinanvian model of public services, the White Paper talks of freezing personal taxation, cutting aviation taxes and reducing corporation tax so that it is always 3% below the UK rate - whatever that UK rate is - and despite the fact that it is currently among the lowest in the G20."

But a spokesman for Nicola Sturgeon, the Deputy First Minister, hit back, saying: "Alistair Carmichael's speech will have been greeted with astonishment by his Danish audience. Denmark is a country of around five million people, which is a fantastic economic and social success story and governs itself, unlike Scotland.

"Mr Carmichael spends time lavishing praise on the Danish model but argues Scotland should not take its future into its own hands to do likewise - despite us being one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

"He also appears totally ignorant of the fact that Denmark has recently announced moves to slash its corporation tax rates."