Liam Fox has sparked rumours that the Scottish Independence Referendum planned for 2018 was a foregone conclusion this afternoon.

The furore began when Mr. Fox took questions at an arms exhibition in Bahrain.

Asked by a reporter from The Rochdale Herald, how quickly he believed a free trade agreement could be agreed with Scotland after Scottish independence? he reportedly replied: “We’ll be at the front of the queue.” He then paused to take something from a manly hand behind a curtain, before continuing: “We’re Scotland’s most important trading partner already. It’s just common sense that Chancellor Sturgeon will be agreeing an FTA with what’s left of the UK as her number one priority.”

Quite why the wily old Fox would let slip what sounds like a concrete plan when the issue of Scotland exiting the United Kingdom is still to be decided has tongues wagging.

Asked for a response to his comments a spokes-haggis from Holyrood denied preliminary talks were underway already.

He did however add, “England will be at the back of the line sonny.”

Right behind a unified Ireland, The Free Welsh, the Cornish Republic and Kent.