Andrew Wilson - Economic advisor to Nicola Sturgeon

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A newly independent Scotland which has previously become very dependent on a block grant from the Westminster Government does not have time to aspire to become an affluent country. It has to hit the ground running.

That's worst case Islay.

Yes, the block grant from Westminster would eventually stop but then the outflow of cash from Scotland to Westminster, which contributes significantly to the block grant, would also stop so the net loss is not the total of any block grant and it's wrong to say the its value would suddenly disappear.

There are figures out there which differ depending on which side produced them, personally I'm not an economist and don't know who to believe. My inclination toward independence is based mainly on what I see as centuries of oppression and I'm confident that those with the economic background would carry it off.

I recently lost a good friend who was a retired Professor of Economics at St. Andrews University. He was adamant that Scotland had nothing to worry about economically in the event of independence, indeed would most likely prosper after an initial short stagger whilst adapting. No offence to you or anyone else but I'll trust his judgement and opinion before I'll trust any spin doctor or politician with a personal or party agenda.

[noahrab]

That's worst case Islay.

Yes, the block grant from Westminster would eventually stop but then the outflow of cash from Scotland to Westminster, which contributes significantly to the block grant, would also stop so the net loss is not the total of any block grant and it's wrong to say the its value would suddenly disappear.

There are figures out there which differ depending on which side produced them, personally I'm not an economist and don't know who to believe. My inclination toward independence is based mainly on what I see as centuries of oppression and I'm confident that those with the economic background would carry it off.

I recently lost a good friend who was a retired Professor of Economics at St. Andrews University. He was adamant that Scotland had nothing to worry about economically in the event of independence, indeed would most likely prosper after an initial short stagger whilst adapting. No offence to you or anyone else but I'll trust his judgement and opinion before I'll trust any spin doctor or politician with a personal or party agenda.

Centuries of oppression

Dont forget they called you Jock, and you’ve hated them ever since.

[islaydarkblue]

That's worst case Islay.

Yes, the block grant from Westminster would eventually stop but then the outflow of cash from Scotland to Westminster, which contributes significantly to the block grant, would also stop so the net loss is not the total of any block grant and it's wrong to say the its value would suddenly disappear.


There are figures out there which differ depending on which side produced them, personally I'm not an economist and don't know who to believe. My inclination toward independence is based mainly on what I see as centuries of oppression and I'm confident that those with the economic background would carry it off.

I recently lost a good friend who was a retired Professor of Economics at St. Andrews University. He was adamant that Scotland had nothing to worry about economically in the event of independence, indeed would most likely prosper after an initial short stagger whilst adapting. No offence to you or anyone else but I'll trust his judgement and opinion before I'll trust any spin doctor or politician with a personal or party agenda.

Which money is being sent south of the border to England.
You will probably have read that the members of Shetlands Islands council have instigated steps to set up a referendum asking the people in Shetland whether they want the Shetland Isles to remain part of Scptland or leave whilst still remaining part of the rest of the UK. If that happens it is likely that the Orkney Islands will follow suit.
The Shetland residents are fed up that the SNP controlled Scottish Government are centralising everything in Edinburgh.
One of an independent Scotland’s main source of taxation from the import of oil would be gone for ever if the residents of Orkney and Shetland vote to leave Scotland.
When I was a pupil at Morgan Academy Senior Secondary School I had an economics teacher who used to teach us that every industry in the U.K. should be nationalised.
He should have taught us a balanced view not his own political views which were bordering on Communism.

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Which money is being sent south of the border to England.
You will probably have read that the members of Shetlands Islands council have instigated steps to set up a referendum asking the people in Shetland whether they want the Shetland Isles to remain part of Scptland or leave whilst still remaining part of the rest of the UK. If that happens it is likely that the Orkney Islands will follow suit.
The Shetland residents are fed up that the SNP controlled Scottish Government are centralising everything in Edinburgh.
One of an independent Scotland’s main source of taxation from the import of oil would be gone for ever if the residents of Orkney and Shetland vote to leave Scotland.
When I was a pupil at Morgan Academy Senior Secondary School I had an economics teacher who used to teach us that every industry in the U.K. should be nationalised.
He should have taught us a balanced view not his own political views which were bordering on Communism.

Taxes, NI. That's not just income tax and you need to consider VAT, Corporation Tax and Import / Export Tax and anything else currently paid to HMRC. As I've stated elsewhere the amount sent varies dependent on which side's analysis you read and the truth will be somewhere in the middle.

I have no issues with Shetlanders looking for 'independence' from Scotland, would be a cracking case study for Scotland, but to declare they are sick of the Scottish Government centralising everything in Edinburgh whilst looking to be governed by a London centric government seems a bit at odds with the whole concept.

[islaydarkblue]

Taxes, NI. That's not just income tax and you need to consider VAT, Corporation Tax and Import / Export Tax and anything else currently paid to HMRC. As I've stated elsewhere the amount sent varies dependent on which side's analysis you read and the truth will be somewhere in the middle.

I have no issues with Shetlanders looking for 'independence' from Scotland, would be a cracking case study for Scotland, but to declare they are sick of the Scottish Government centralising everything in Edinburgh whilst looking to be governed by a London centric government seems a bit at odds with the whole concept.

The members of the Shetland Isles council would govern their islands and they would have a similar arrangement with Westminster as the Faroe Isles have with Denmark.
Where do you think the money for the Barnett Formula comes from.
It does not come from the SNP ‘magic money tree’.