How will the economy be affected by SNP MPs; will it be for richer or for poorer and

IveSeenTheLight

Generali wrote: »

Makes no difference: it was a UK election and Scotland voted to remain in the UK. They were offered a chance to leave and comprehensively rejected it.

The Conservatives will govern the whole of the UK, not just the bits that voted for it.

I agree and as per my edit, I hope they succeed.

The conservatives did however campaign that we were better together prior to the election, so there cannot be any disparity during this government

Generali

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

The conservatives did however campaign that we were better together prior to the election, so there cannot be any disparity during this government

How can anyone judge now whether a particular set of policies means Scotland would have been better going its own way? There is no way to measure it.

What we can say is that Scotland's finances would be utterly wrecked by the drop in oil prices so on that basis alone, Scotland is indeed better together.

.string.

The way you phrased it was ok ISTL, the result of the Government "economic plan" is what they will be judged on, not just by the Scots but by all of us.

My beef is that the SNPs definition of success is whether the Goverment economic plan is changed to the SNP economic plan, as you will see from my previous post.

The relative extravagance of the SNP wefare/eduction provisions will (I suspect) make the impact of cuts higher in Scotland (than England). One has to look objectively at that to see where the root cause of such a differential might be.

IveSeenTheLight

.string. wrote: »

The relative extravagance of the SNP wefare/eduction provisions will (I suspect) make the impact of cuts higher in Scotland (than England). One has to look objectively at that to see where the root cause of such a differential might be.

That's not how I understand that it works.

Education is devolved and as such through the Barnett Formula, the funds are provided to Scotland to do with as they wish.

I don't recall Education being cut in the Conservatory manifesto.

With regards to Welfare, this is not devolved as yet, so not anything to do with Scotlands budgetting, although we will see if this does becomed a devolved power.

So how do you believe Scotlands cuts will be harsher as a result of the Education and Welfare policies?

IveSeenTheLight

Generali wrote: »

What we can say is that Scotland's finances would be utterly wrecked by the drop in oil prices so on that basis alone, Scotland is indeed better together.

As per your signature, we all realise that Oil is not available infinitly, hence the desire that there is a real need for change in order to secure Scotland's future, beyond oil.

Where do you see Scotland potential to develop beyond oil and what are the UK government doing to promote this?

We ultimately realise, that Holyrood is just the puppet that has to dance to many strings defined by Westminster, with just a few strings broken which can be adjusted differently.

My ultimate fear is that Scotland was to become like Hull (no offence) without having a visionary plan for the future.

Generali

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

As per your signature, we all realise that Oil is not available infinitly, hence the desire that there is a real need for change in order to secure Scotland's future, beyond oil.

Where do you see Scotland potential to develop beyond oil and what are the UK government doing to promote this?

We ultimately realise, that Holyrood is just the puppet that has to dance to many strings defined by Westminster, with just a few strings broken which can be adjusted differently.

My ultimate fear is that Scotland was to become like Hull (no offence) without having a visionary plan for the future.

Whilst oil won't be taken out of the ground forever in Scotland, the oil industry has such a huge knowledge base for drilling in horrible places (I mean the North Sea not Dundee!) I suspect that will remain a source of income for a very long time.

Whisky exports grow apace and specialist manufacturing (the sort that makes a decent profit rather than metal bashing which is best left to the Third World) seems to be doing rather well and will probably do better as the Pound drops in value as oil exports continue to fall.

If the Paris talks, as seem likely, agree to large cuts in CO2 output, large scale renewables might be a goer financially although with current technology that would take a pretty hefty CO2 tax or similar.

Scotland's economy would probably look much the same in or out of the UK. The main economic difference is that outside the UK, exporting would be much harder and debt almost certainly more expensive. In addition, Scotland's tax base ex-oil simply appears not to be big enough to support the level of public spending currently enjoyed in Scotland.

Scottish independence wouldn't change the things Scotland is good at. What it would do is make doing those things more expensive, mostly due to the increased cost of raising debt, and so less competitive.

.string.

IveSeenTheLight wrote:

So how do you believe Scotlands cuts will be harsher as a result of the Education and Welfare policies?

"Suspect" not "believe" - no-one knows yet, but take free university education, free (and imposed) child minders as examples of things no longer affordable like for the rest of us. I expect you will get a detailed list from the SNP soon enough; watch out for sentences starting with:

"Because of the Tory's austerity programme and the lack of financial levers in the Devolution imposed by Westminster, we are unable to/ are forced to raise income tax to ...... "

But we will see ..

Tromking

.string. wrote: »

"Suspect" not "believe" - no-one knows yet, but take free university education, free (and imposed) child minders as examples of things no longer affordable like for the rest of us. I expect you will get a detailed list from the SNP soon enough; watch out for sentences starting with:

"Because of the Tory's austerity programme and the lack of financial levers in the Devolution imposed by Westminster, we are unable to/ are forced to raise income tax to ...... "

But we will see ..

It is heartening to finally see SNP politicians now being put under pressure to say what they'd do with the powers coming Scotland's way. The Hosie fella was asked today if a way round Westminster's £177m cuts for Scotland would be put the SNP GE2015 election pledge to up the top rate of tax to 50% into next years Holyrood election manifesto. Surprise, surprise he seemed to reluctant to make that commitment.😀

.string.

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

As per your signature, we all realise that Oil is not available infinitly, hence the desire that there is a real need for change in order to secure Scotland's future, beyond oil.

Where do you see Scotland potential to develop beyond oil and what are the UK government doing to promote this?

We ultimately realise, that Holyrood is just the puppet that has to dance to many strings defined by Westminster, with just a few strings broken which can be adjusted differently.

My ultimate fear is that Scotland was to become like Hull (no offence) without having a visionary plan for the future.

I thought Generali gave a good answer. I'll add another couple of thoughts for you.

First, Scots have to have real clarity of what they actually want. Is it independence? or is it a better economy? and then go full speed for one or the other because I don't think both are achievable, at least in the short run.

The SNP tactics of keeping the independence thing very much alive and the implication of separation in the background of much of what they say (for example several time the threat of having another referendum if the EU vote does not go the way of SNP Party policy) must surely be having a very bad effect on the attractiveness of Scotland as a place to invest or do business. Who would want to set up a business in a place which wants to leave the greater markets of both the UK and the EU simultaneously?

Of course separating from the UK would provoke an economic crisis for the same reason but at least the prime aim of "Separate Scotland" would have been satisfied. Not a good move I think but there you go.

You post implies that the UK Government should "do something"; well yes, OK - the first priority would be to ensure that Scotland is seen as a very integral part of a successful UK. One can't really expect them to start government-run businesses and, to be frank, many on this side of the border would not want to subsidies new ventures in a Scotland bent on departing with the procedes.

The answer to the problem lies, as you might expect, with the Scots themselves. There are plenty of Scots who are ambitious and who have the capability to start new businesses that thrive. But can't be so easy with a bunch of miserable sods in Edinburgh moaning all the time and trying to destabilise the Union on which the Scottish economy depends.

kabayiri

Tromking wrote: »

It is heartening to finally see SNP politicians now being put under pressure to say what they'd do with the powers coming Scotland's way. The Hosie fella was asked today if a way round Westminster's £177m cuts for Scotland would be put the SNP GE2015 election pledge to up the top rate of tax to 50% into next years Holyrood election manifesto. Surprise, surprise he seemed to reluctant to make that commitment.😀

He should be bold. It's an opportunity to show a different direction than the rest of the UK.

The excuse that Westminster is holding Scotland back will start to grow thin, particularly if we other areas starting to improve.

Manchester airport expansion plans are well under way, as are Stansted plans.

Hopefully we will see fracking initiatives delivering benefits to the Fylde coast region soon - it's been talked about enough.

We all know the UK economy needs rebalancing away from out of date socialist ideology - it's just a question as to which areas lead the way. Step up to the plate Scotland!