THERE may be "issues" with some goods crossing the border between Scotland and England after independence, the SNP's deputy leader has admitted.

Keith Brown said Scotland would have to "adapt" to the new circumstances but insisted the right solutions can be found with "goodwill".

Mr Brown made the comments in a special episode of The Herald's Brian Taylor Podcast as the SNP's virtual conference takes place this weekend. 

The border between Scotland and England will be a key issue as the debate around independence ramps up in the coming months. 

Under the SNP's plans, it would become an external border of the EU as Scotland rejoins the bloc following independence. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously admitted Brexit meant "all sorts of issues are raised for Scotland completely against our democratic will".

She said Scotland "would work as a country to make sure that for our businesses, there was no difficulties in terms of their day-to-day experience in trading" across the border.

Asked about the issue, Mr Brown said: "If you look at the border between Scotland and England, first of all, there would be no need for any restrictions on freedom of travel for people, because we're not proposing to change the common travel area. 

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"I don't know whether an English government would do that. I wouldn't have thought so. 

"And many of the goods and services will freely cross the border. 

"Some of the goods, there may be issues with that, and we'll have to adapt to that. 

"But that happens across countries, across the EU currently."

He said it was "really important" for an independent Scotland not to look to the precedent set by the UK leaving the EU.

He added: "But these things, of course, would be done by negotiation and with goodwill on both sides. Who wants to have any obstacles?"

Pressed that membership of the EU would throw up obstacles, Mr Brown said it was important to note that "27 other borders will be coming down" for Scotland if it rejoins the bloc, leading to a "massive increase in the export potential that we would have".

He said there is no "animus" between Scotland and the rest of the UK, adding: "We want to have it as open as possible. A decision on a border would be one for them, and of course, you're right to say the EU would have an interest in that as well. 

"With goodwill I'm pretty sure we can get to the right solution. And, yes, we will be considering that both in Government and in the SNP."

Yesterday, Mr Brown told the SNP conference there is a "cast-iron mandate" to hold a second independence referendum.

He said the people of Scotland had issued a clear "clarion call"demanding another vote.