Alex Salmond has been warned that political leaders in Wales would fight to prevent an independent Scotland from entering a currency union with the rest of the UK.

The warning from the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, came ahead of last night’s televised debate between Mr Salmond, leading the independence campaign, and the former Chancellor Alistair Darling, for the Better Together campaign.

Currency union with an independent Scotland would be bad for Wales and the rest of the UK, he claimed, writing in the Daily Record. He added: “If you remember the banking crash, what we needed was swift decisions to stop our economy from going under. We had that speed and sureness because we pool sovereignty.

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“There didn’t need to be a meeting of Welsh, Scottish, English and Northern Irish ministers to thrash out a strategy. We had one Chancellor of the Exchequer – who happened to be a Scot – who could act in all our interests. As Welsh First Minister, I do not see why in similar circumstances I would have to wait around for the finance secretary of what would then be another country to make up his or her mind while the economy of Wales was in peril.”

Scottish Independence: For and against Show all 24 1 /24 Scottish Independence: For and against Scottish Independence: For and against Vivienne Westwood YES: “I hate England. I like Scotland because somehow I think they are better than we are. They are more democratic.” Getty Scottish Independence: For and against Bob Geldof NO: "This argument needs to be had among us all, you can't selfishly resolve it amongst yourselves by taking an easy opt-out clause." Getty Scottish Independence: For and against Leonard Cohen UNDECIDED: “People are trying to make their lives significant,” he said. “[They] are engaged in a struggle for self-respect and significance.” Getty Scottish Independence: For and against James McAvoy UNDECIDED: “If you vote for continued unification or independence there is no protest vote – that’s it. And that could be it for decades, for centuries. There’s no going back from it." Getty Scottish Independence: For and against Bill Clinton NO: “Unity with maximum self-determination sends a powerful message to a world torn by identity conflicts that it is possible to respect our differences while living and working together. This is the great challenge of our time. The Scots can show us how to meet it.” Getty Scottish Independence: For and against George Galloway NO: “There will be havoc if you vote Yes in September. Havoc in Edinburgh and throughout the land and you will break the hearts of many others too… I know which side I’m on. I’m with JK Rowling. Just say No.” Getty Scottish Independence: For and against David Beckham NO: “We want to let you know how very much we value our relationship and friendship. Of course regardless of your decision that will never change, however, my sincere hope is that you will vote to renew our historic bond which has been such a success over the centuries and the envy of the entire world. What unites us is much greater than what divides us. Let's stay together.” Getty Scottish Independence: For and against David Bowie NO: "Scotland stay with us" Rex Features Scottish Independence: For and against Eddie Izzard NO: "You can be Scottish, you can be British and you can be European. We can have that. “I say have the parliament, have the more power, but be with us. Like David Bowie said, ‘Stay with us Scotland’ and I’m saying the same – don’t go." Getty Scottish Independence: For and against Frankie Boyle YES: "It’s an ‘aye’ (for Independence) from me, man." Association of Online Publishers Scottish Independence: For and against Andy Murray NO: "I started competing for Great Britain when I was 11. A lot of people forget that. I didn't like it when Salmond got the Scottish flag up at Wimbledon" GETTY IMAGES Scottish Independence: For and against The Proclaimers YES: 'Scotland has huge national resources, with its people, its wave power – all the possibilities that this country has...we need to take charge of our own affairs' Gary Calton Scottish Independence: For and against Susan Boyle NO: "I am a proud, patriotic Scot, passionate about my heritage and my country. But I am not a nationalist." Rex Features Scottish Independence: For and against Chris Hoy NO: "It will weaken the British team obviously if Scotland went separately, and it would be harder for the Scottish athletes, initially, to establish themselves in a new training environment, with new coaches, with a different environment altogether." Scottish Independence: For and against Alex Ferguson NO: "Eight-hundred-thousand Scots, like me, live and work in other parts of the United Kingdom. We don't live in a foreign country; we are just in another part of the family of the UK" Getty Images Scottish Independence: For and against Alan Cumming YES: "The evidence is clear - in the past 15 years we have become stronger economically, socially, culturally and globally. The world is waiting for us and I know Scotland is ready." Kalpesh Lathigra Scottish Independence: For and against Emma Thompson NO: "Why insist on building a new border between human beings in an ever-shrinking world where we are still struggling to live alongside each other?" Carlo Allegri, Reuters Scottish Independence: For and against Billy Bragg YES: Independence would "create a new settlement that puts people before profit. Those in England who believe that our own society needs to be rebalanced along similar lines should wake up and join the debate" Getty Images Scottish Independence: For and against Marcus Brigstocke NO: "If Scotland go their own way (based on fingers crossed, f**k the Tories, William Wallace bollocks it'll be a damn shame. Still wish 'em well" Scottish Independence: For and against Rod Stewart NO: "I'd hate to see the union broken after all these years. It's always been a spiritual home - but as I don't live there I shouldn't comment on independence. If it's good for the Scots I'm happy." PA Scottish Independence: For and against Sean Connery YES: "As a Scot and as someone with a lifelong love for both Scotland and the arts, I believe the opportunity of independence is too good to miss" Rex Features Scottish Independence: For and against Al Kennedy NO: "Salmond has the warm potato head of a man who is Scottish and – we hope – no threat" Rex Features Scottish Independence: For and against Annie Lennox YES: "There is an opportunity for something innovative and visionary. Scotland could have some kind of new, ethical, visionary stance and it could take on some fresh ideas. That could be amazing, really amazing." Getty Images Scottish Independence: For and against Morrissey YES: "They must cut ties with the United King-dumb. I love Scotland, and I love the Scottish spirit and they do not need Westminster in the least." Getty Images

The question of what currency an independent Scotland would use was one of the central issues of the first televised debate between Mr Salmond and Mr Darling. Most viewers thought Mr Darling won that exchange.

But yesterday, Professor Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize winner who was chairman of Bill Clinton’s council of economic advisers, told the Edinburgh Book Festival: “As an outsider I’ve looked at the debate, particularly from the No side, [and] I’ve been a little bit shocked how much is based on fear, trying to get anxiety levels up, and how little of it has been based on vision.