An independent Scotland?

[Clinton Huxley]

I see the Scotch Separatists are getting their knickers in a twist over NATO membership now.

Well, I think it's been the stated position for some time now that an independent Scotland will basically be an "unaligned" country with defence forces to match. I recall Salmond or one of the other SNP top brass saying as much when publicly questioned on the matter a few months ago.

Well, they want trident moved, which would be easier if Scotland were not in NATO but that could bring other problems.

[Clinton Huxley]

Still, if we end up with an international border with Scotland, we've got a good place to build any new nuclear power stations...

[Jason]

What will happen to the UK if Scotland becomes independent? The UK will have a little less money to spread around the south and Scotland will have a little more. That's about it.

[Jason]

I find it very amusing to see how vexed many of the 'English' ratz are becoming over the idea of an independent Scotland.

[Svartalf]

Still, if we end up with an international border with Scotland, we've got a good place to build any new nuclear power stations...

That close to the Lake District?

Oh, and you should give them the Tyne valley too.

[ronmcd]

That's an easy one I can clear up now.
England won't be paying the subsidy to Scotland. And that saving goes on for ever.

But Scotland is not subsidised by England.

The biggest beneficiaries are Northern Ireland, Wales and the North East, which receive more than a fifth of their income as subsidies from the taxpayer.

Northern Ireland pays tax worth just 27.7 per cent of GDP generated by Northern Ireland. This compares to London, which pays tax equivalent to 45.2 per cent of GDP created in the capital.

Additionally, the analysis showed that regions where the level of tax paid was low as a proportion of GDP also used a higher proportion of GDP for state spending.

For some taxes, the regional differences are huge. The bulk of Stamp Duty Land Tax is paid in London and the South East. The 50p income tax rate is also largely a London and South East tax.

Overall, London provides a net subsidy of 20.3 per cent of GDP. Northern Ireland receives a net subsidy of 29.4 per cent, while Wales receives a subsidy of 26.0 per cent and the North East 22.2 per cent.

The figures will be relevent to the ongoing discussion of independence for Scotland. Scotland receives no net subsidy. Using and established Aberdeen University split of the oil and gas revenues - which gives Scotland 83 per cent - the oil and gas revenues exactly cancel out the fiscal transfers from the non oil sector.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news ... ds-newsxml

The Ernst and Young report echoes the findings on Channel 4’s renowned factcheck analysis which confirms that outside London Scotland is the leading destination in the UK for Foreign Investment creating more high value jobs in 2010 than were created through foreign investment in London and that foreign investment in Scotland has continued to rise at a time when it is flatlining in other parts of the UK.

http://politicshome.com/uk/article/5621 ... ering.html

[mistermack]

Scotland receives no net subsidy.[/i][/b] Using and established Aberdeen University split of the oil and gas revenues - which gives Scotland 83 per cent - the oil and gas revenues exactly cancel out the fiscal transfers from the non oil sector.

Fiscal transfers. A subsidy that matches the value of the oil revenues.
I never said net subsidy, I was clear that the overall effect was nil.

To make it clearer then, they won't be sending any money north. The Scottish govt will instead get oil revenues, which will dwindle over time.

[ronmcd]

Fiscal transfers. A subsidy that matches the value of the oil revenues.
I never said net subsidy, I was clear that the overall effect was nil.

To make it clearer then, they won't be sending any money north. The Scottish govt will instead get oil revenues, which will dwindle over time.

Okay, so we all agree that Scotland isn't subsidised then? Not sure why it keeps getting mentioned then. Some years Scotland would be in a better position than UK, sometimes worse. *shrugs*

[ronmcd]

Fiscal transfers. A subsidy that matches the value of the oil revenues.

We are picking nits here, but it's not a subsidy. Scotland's position in terms of revenue and spending once geographic share of resources (ie the position post independence) taken into account means Scotland is a microcosm of the UK economy. I believe the current figures show that Scotland would be running a lower relative deficit than UK. So ... Scotland would be fine.

The commonly used subsidy claims are about scaring people, and they arent true.

[Clinton Huxley]

Just so I don't forget.

http://bettertogether.net/

[Red Celt]

[Svartalf]

Take off St Pat's and it's gonna be perfect
f

[Clinton Huxley]

Seems Salmonella may have "misspoke" re his legal advice

[Santa_Claus]

Seems Salmonella may have "misspoke" re his legal advice

Not sure what this comment relates to......

But Salmond would be well aware that on stuff like this you only get legal advice when you already know what it will say - and can live with it (not the same as it all being 110% what you want - but sometimes better if not as simply looks better). But getting your opponents to focus on the minutiae is a useful tactic whilst you concentrate on the big picture.

The legal side of whether Scotland goes independent is only window dressing (for all sides) - big boys rules means Countries (and wannabee countries) can do WTF they like, if they can back it up with boots on the ground.

[Clinton Huxley]

Seems Salmonella may have "misspoke" re his legal advice

Not sure what this comment relates to......

But Salmond would be well aware that on stuff like this you only get legal advice when you already know what it will say - and can live with it (not the same as it all being 110% what you want - but sometimes better if not as simply looks better). But getting your opponents to focus on the minutiae is a useful tactic whilst you concentrate on the big picture.

The legal side of whether Scotland goes independent is only window dressing (for all sides) - big boys rules means Countries (and wannabee countries) can do WTF they like, if they can back it up with boots on the ground.

Ah, assertions.

Turns out there was a god reason Salmond didn't want to release his legal advice re EU membership post independence, he hadn't asked for any. Makes you wonder where else the Scotch Separatists are cutting corners.