The Scottish Politics thread

[west didsblue]

Public Spending | Scotland in the UK

Public revenue generated in Scotland was £87.5 billion in 2022-23, while it benefited from £106.6 billion in public spending.

www.deliveringforscotland.gov.uk

FYI that equates to a spend of about 18% more than Scotland raises.

Coincidentally, the West Midlands region of England, where you live, also spends 18% more than it raises. The North West, where I live, only spends 12% more than it earns. How do you feel about your region overspending compared to mine?

 

[Fame Monster]

Up here in Scotland?

Far worse unfortunately.

I don't blame anyone for voting SNP on domestic issues over Labour but in a general election?

At least it would give people like saddleworth a chance of getting rid of the Tories. A vote for the SNP won't get rid of them unless North Britain becomes separate and that will be far more harmful than 30 years of the Tories imo.

 

[Coatigan]

I don't blame anyone for voting SNP on domestic issues over Labour but in a general election?

At least it would give people like saddleworth a chance of getting rid of the Tories. A vote for the SNP won't get rid of them unless North Britain becomes separate and that will be far more harmful than 30 years of the Tories imo.

North Britain, nice. Thats the spirit of the precious union of nations in a nutshell right there.

That aside, actually agree with that mostly, not at all a fan of the snp block at Westminster.

Not that, symbolism aside, it would make any difference. It is the votes for them at Holyrood that give them the mandate, did in 2014, did in 2016 (albeit i repeatedly agreed it was neither the time nor the need for one), and by all current polls seemingly will next year as well.

 

[blueparrot]

I don't blame anyone for voting SNP on domestic issues over Labour but in a general election?

At least it would give people like saddleworth a chance of getting rid of the Tories. A vote for the SNP won't get rid of them unless North Britain becomes separate and that will be far more harmful than 30 years of the Tories imo.

Replacing SNP mps with Labour ones wouldn’t make the slightest difference to the tories winning elections until England starts voting in Labour mps. When that happens Scots may have a decision to make whether they want a Labour SNP coalition or a Labour government.A the moment it doesn’t make the slightest difference so may as well vote for the more competent SNP rather than the hopeless Scottish Labour.
Comments like North Britain should help persuade Scots though , I’d expect.

 

[hilts]

Coincidentally, the West Midlands region of England, where you live, also spends 18% more than it raises. The North West, where I live, only spends 12% more than it earns. How do you feel about your region overspending compared to mine?

Didn't know the West Midlands were going for independence

 

[Fame Monster]

Replacing SNP mps with Labour ones wouldn’t make the slightest difference to the tories winning elections until England starts voting in Labour mps. When that happens Scots may have a decision to make whether they want a Labour SNP coalition or a Labour government.A the moment it doesn’t make the slightest difference so may as well vote for the more competent SNP rather than the hopeless Scottish Labour.
Comments like North Britain should help persuade Scots though , I’d expect.

It wouldn't have made a difference in the last few elections because Labour have been so poor but in 4 years time, 9 years time, 13 years time, who's to say there won't be a Labour Government?

If they do become separate, what will happen if these voters don't get their chosen government in Holyrood? Are they going to split again? Are the Orkneys or Shetland islands or Glasgow going to go it alone?

At some point, you just have to accept that you're not gonna get your chosen government all the time and part of living in a democracy is accepting defeat.

 

[Saddleworth2]

You could vote for Labour. Not something I would personally recommend but they can't be any worse than the SNP.

And that would be a winning vote would it?

 

[blueparrot]

It wouldn't have made a difference in the last few elections because Labour have been so poor but in 4 years time, 9 years time, 13 years time, who's to say there won't be a Labour Government?

If they do become separate, what will happen if these voters don't get their chosen government in Holyrood? Are they going to split again? Are the Orkneys or Shetland islands or Glasgow going to go it alone?

At some point, you just have to accept that you're not gonna get your chosen government all the time and part of living in a democracy is accepting defeat.

Well thats a choice Scotland can make isn’t it. In a democracy you accept a defeat, you don’t accept using what channels are available to change it down the line.
Last time I voted no, on balance I was probably about 60/40 no, despite tory governments. Brexit made it about 50/50, the brexit Johnson is leading us to is tipping the balance for me to about 55/45 yes. Those figures seem to match the voting intentions of Scotland.
Its a option Scotland, N.Ireland, Wales are free to take.
I’m sure some people in some regions in England would like the choice, Cornwall maybe. Unfortunately for them it’s not in that position.
Like it or don’t thats the reality, it won’t be the SNP or any great love of the SNP that leads Scotland to any independence, it will be Westminsters actions that do that, and could probably prevent it if they were inclined to bother.

 

[blueparrot]

And that would be a winning vote would it?

Thing is Scotland would be quite happy to vote for a Labour government, or a Lib /Lab coalition, after all they did for the first few Holyrood elections. Scotland isn’t deeply tied to the SNP. If Labour and the Liberal party stop being too tied to their English parties and being completely useless they could challenge for power again, same as in England really where the tories benefit from crap opposition rather than the SNP benefit in Scotland.

 

[west didsblue]

Didn't know the West Midlands were going for independence

So what?