In the UK we have far too much government; at the bottom there are parish councils, then district councils, county councils, the Westminster parliament and finally the expensive joke that is the European parliament. These five layers were not enough for Tony Blair, he wanted regional governments as well, especially for the Celts in Wales and Scotland. So these areas of the UK duly got their talking shops.
But of course we ended up getting mission creep with more and more power continuously being transferred to these new institutions. Independence by stealth. And now, in an election, the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) have won a majority. It is obvious that all those votes for the SNP were not votes for independence, it was just that the voters had no valid alternatives, the Conservatives in Scotland are a toxic brand and the Labour party there has imploded (a pity the English Labour party doesn’t do the same). And of course Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, is a highly devious and competent politician, who strides the Scottish political scene like a colossus.
So now we English have a great opportunity to kick the Scots out of the UK and make our country a better place. Here’s why we should do it:
- The Scots cost us English £14 billion a year because of a financial settlement called the Barnett Formula. This is £2,600 we pay annually to the average Scot. They spend it on things like free prescriptions and free university fees. So the Scots get far more from the state, paid for by us English.
- Scotland is a hotbed of the cancer that is socialism. After the last general election they sent to Westminster 41 Labour MPs, 11 Lib Dems, 6 SNPs and just the one Conservative. Get rid of this lot and the whole complexion of Westminster changes vastly for the better. At the moment the Celtic tail wags the English dog, preventing the English from getting the governments that we vote for.
- Racism. A significant number of Scots are anti English racists, I know, I have lived there. They call us white settlers when we live there. Yet far, far more Scots live in England as economic migrants and they don’t get called white settlers here.
- Braveheart, even Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels would have been proud of this totally fictitious piece of Hollywood propaganda. Yet very many Scots are stupid enough to believe it. But then they get most of their history from the fiction of Sir Walter Scott, so this is nothing new.
- The UK banking crisis and bail out was disproportionately caused by Scottish financial institutions that were bailed out by the English. Had Scotland been independent they would have been in a worse position than the Irish or the Greeks. The idea of the “Celtic Tigers” has been shown to be just a ridiculous joke, the reality is that they spend far more than they earn and get away with it because of huge English subsidies.
- The West Lothian question. Those 59 Scottish MPs at Westminster get to vote on matters that have huge impact on English voters and none whatsoever on Scottish voters (because of their devolved parliament). This is totally undemocratic.
- Gordon Brown, this reason alone is enough to kick the Scots out of the UK. He came down to London and trashed the British economy, we are all suffering now (and will be for a long time to come) from the damage that his profligate spending did to the country. But he was just the latest in a long line of misguided Scottish socialist who sought to impose their discredited creed on the English. We would be vastly better off without them.
A very compelling argument, on the other side of the debate it is very difficult to find a single reason for keeping the union together. And there is a bonus, the SNP want to keep the Queen as head of their new state. Let them have her, then we can get on with having a democratically elected president to live in Buckingham Palace. So it would be an improvement all round.
Permalink
If I may ask, what are your thoughts on Welsh secession?
Permalink
@knirirr
The Welsh are like junior versions of the Scots. Less whingy, less racist, less demanding of independence, less parasitic on the English. So we should let them stay in the UK, but keep a close eye on the mission creep.
Permalink
Absolute joke ya bawbag. You know fuck all about Scotland. Calling us Celts etc. I will not go on but it’s people like you ya (fucking inbred Englsh wanker) is the reason we are going to leave the UK.
Permalink
Well said dude, absolute clap trap, Bruce u clearly get ur info from English msm, my 6 year old son knows more in-depth detail than you, before spouting your mouth, do your homework, its Muppets luke you that cause a divide north and south of border, thanks to Scottish government we receive what we are entitled as a tax payer, our government has to fight for this, the question you should be asking Bruce is Why ain’t the English getting what the Scots have??? Ask Westminster as they are bleeding the English tax payer dry as they do with Scotland, it ain’t about scots against English, its rich against poor which we all suffer, I hope 1 day the English stand up against Westminster and get rid of these scum who think they are above the rest,
Permalink
Like
Permalink
Bruce…. You’re a bawbag!!! I hope your next shite is a hedgehog!!
Permalink
Hi Pete,
Your IP address is 95.144.2.48
Permalink
Any Scots wanting to report Bruce for racism then read this article…..I can verify he can be done for it as comments such as his was deemed racist by a police woman I spoke to and chargeable offence. The Scottish police will track him down from HIS IP number, go to Police Scotland website and click on the hate crime page and report him along with his racist blog and comments. Even him calling us Jocks or Sweaty Jocks/Socks is seen as racist in same way as “Paki” or any other racist name for someone’s race or Nationality. He can be nailed for Cultural Racism too, I’m sure this Tory and hater of Scots knows the law.
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotland/discrimination_s/discrimination_protected_characteristics_e/ge5_race_discrimination.htm
Permalink
ElaineS,
You seem to have an education problem:
Also you are going to have to report a lot of people!: http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/the-pm-his-press-secretary-and-the-whingeing-jocks-1-908426
Permalink
Wow never in my life have I read so much racist tripe. Written by a poor little man obviously too caught up in his own self importance to see anything but his 3 foot nose.
Bruce for future reference your goverment that you love so much begged us to stay in the union and yeah that comes with us voting for WHOEVER WE WANT to represent us in the parliament in London.
Now go sit down and leave politics to people who actually understand it. Silly little racist man.
Permalink
Would you let the independent Scots take their North Sea oil with them when they leave?
Permalink
@Ian
Why not? It is just about all they have got.
Alex Salmond boasts about the gross value of extracted oil, without factoring in the cost of getting it.
Oil is an industry like any other and you can only tax the profits left after the costs have been paid. Tax too much and the industry stops. Nationalise it and you end up throwing taxpayers’ money away.
So oil industry tax revenues would not pay to keep the current profligate social spending in Scotland, it is the English who are paying for that.
Permalink
Ummmmm. . . . i think you will find it’s Nicola Sturgeon who is SNP leader,Alex Salmond redigned after the referendum. . . . oh and it wouldn’t just be oil we took with us ,it would also be 95%of the BRITISH isle fresh water too!!
Permalink
Some Scottish racism:
http://scottishrepublicansocialistmovement.org/SRSMArticlesWhiteSettlersGoHome.aspx
http://scottishrepublicans.myfreeforum.org/archive/a-very-scottish-death-article-on-white-settlers__o_t__t_450.html
http://ourscotland.myfreeforum.org/archive/immigration-and-the-english__o_t__t_7111.html
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_Kingdom
“……….more than 1,000 victims were classed as being “white British”[24] although the Scottish Assembly still has no official policy on “white on white” racism in Scotland.”
Permalink
There are more and more people in England waking up to the realities of Blair & Brown’s lopsided devolution act and their anger and resentment not surprisingly is growing and yet no-one is listening, certainly not our elected Members of Parliament. David Cameron won an overwhelmng majority in England last May and yet we’ve ended up with this pathetic coalition with another tail, the Lib Dems, wagging the dog with Nick Clegg being allowed to kick a commission on the Barnett Formula and the West Lothian Question into very long grass even though it was in the Tory manifesto, one of many things the English voted for which has now been dropped. If Brown could have made the numbers stack up, England could even have ended up being governed by a rainbow coalition made up of Labour, LibDems, SNP and Plaid Cymru, every party except the one England voted for and this could easily happen again in the future. Maybe this is what it will take for England to rebel and demand it’s own parliament. Cameron and all MPs with English seats are a disgrace, they can’t even bring themselves to say the word England, let alone stand up for it. New Labour treated England with contempt and yet sadly the Conservatives are treating it no better. Cameron is worried the Scots will vote for independance but why should they when they’ve got the best of all worlds already? They will amost certainly send down their usual army of Labour MPs to Westminster to govern England at the next general election. Cameron should be more worried about England because this is where the break up of this so call ‘Union’ will eventually come from when the tolerant people of England finally stand up and say they’ve had enough of this discrimination.
Permalink
Yes kick us out and your ecomoy goes tits. Up dont believe that bull shit we hve all the resources. And dont be fooled youse need us and our oil. Yes kick.us its what we want you bunch of spongers boot on other foot now we have woken up so hve a nice day when we leave 🙂
Permalink
Go on my son ✊….saor alba
Permalink
England could even have ended up being governed by a rainbow coalition made up of Labour, LibDems, SNP and Plaid Cymru, every party except the one England voted for ,now you might get a taste of your own medicine,Scotland never votes Tory yet….
Permalink
£14bn subsidy? Your bigoted ignorance is breathtaking as ever, Bruce.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article3954031.ece
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/how-black-gold-was-hijacked-north-sea-oil-and-the-betrayal-of-scotland-518697.html
Given your attitude, I suspect any abuse you encountered while living in Scotland was more due to being you than being English.
Permalink
@Hoots
Please explain how it is that enhanced public services, per capita, are paid for in comparison to English people. The per capita expenditure of Scotland vs. the southeast of England is typically 33-38% higher every year (£2,459 per head this last year). Why should your average English worker living in London or the southeast have to subsidise Scotland and its useless, moribund politics of the 1940s?
Permalink
I am English and for your information England does not subsidise Scotland, Scotland send more taxes to London than England does. I am ashamed to even say I was born in England and just tell everybody I was born in Liverpool. Not all English are as horrible as you and I would never dream of treating or speaking to anyone like you do
Permalink
Yaaaaaawwwwwnnnnnnn.
Increased expenditure is only an issue if it’s not matched by increased receipts. As the links I’ve provided you with clearly show, it is – and more besides. Scotland sends billions more to the UK Treasury than it receives back, simple plain fact.
Scotland’s higher public expenditure is not the result of “free” extra money from English taxpayers to provide free prescriptions, it’s the result of England having six times Scotland’s population density. It’s a lot cheaper to provide public services to a densely-concentrated population than a widely-spread one.
Still, taking your argument to its logical conclusion, presumably you also believe the rest of England should be independent from London, because spending on London is higher than any other English region. Why should an average English worker living in Yorkshire subsidise the South East, eh?
Permalink
London has many centralised institutions that serve the rest of the UK, that is why spending there is higher than other English regions.
The simple fact is that the Scots get far better public services than the English because of the Barnett Formula. And it is the English that pay for this.
More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnett_formula
“At the introduction of the formula in 1978, Scotland benefited from higher expenditure per head, as a result of the legacy of the 1888 Goschen formula (introduced by chancellor George Goschen as part of the proposals for Irish Home Rule), which originally allocated 80% of funding to England (Wales was considered as part of England), 11% to Scotland, and 9% to Ireland. This was later adjusted to calculate the funding in terms of the English amount instead of the overall total, thereby fixing the Scottish share at 11/80th (13.75%) of the English amount.
By 1970, Treasury preparations for devolution meant that changes in the relative populations were examined. By then the relative populations were 85% English and 10% Scottish, meaning that the new Barnett formula was brought in fixing changes to Scottish expenditure at 10/85th of the change in England (or 11.76%), 2% lower than the amount that was being received.
The population percentages have been recalculated annually since 1999, and in 2002 the Scottish share was then set at 10.23% of the English amount, reflecting the lower population growth north of the border.”
Permalink
Yaaaaawwwwwnnnnn.
Everyone agrees per-capita spending is higher in Scotland, so I don’t know why you keep on shrieking it over and over as if someone was arguing with you.
I even explained patiently to you WHY it is, because clearly you need a lot of help grasping simple concepts like it costing more to serve 100 people spread across 1000 square miles than 100 people concentrated into 15 square miles.
What you keep desperately trying to ignore is the crucial fact that that higher Scottish public spending is paid for NOT by English taxpayers, but by HIGHER REVENUES SENT FROM SCOTLAND TO WESTMINSTER.
Scotland subsidises the rest of the UK. Simple plain fact, acknowledged by all government bodies. Or, of course, it’s just vile anti-English propaganda spread by those notorious Jock mouthpieces the Times and the Independent.
Permalink
@Hoots
Seeing as you are rude and unable to carry a civilised discussion this is the last post of yours that will appear here.
I think you are Stuart Campbell, well known professional Scot and online troublemaker.
If the higher spending on the Scots was just to pay for their lower population density then why do they receive vastly superior public services in so many areas of spend? It is quite obvious that you are wrong.
Permalink
Haha Typical
Permalink
Barnett formula article: http://tpa.typepad.com/home/files/unequal_shares_the_barnett_formula.pdf
Permalink
Comments policy for this blog:
This blog is my bat and ball, and I get to decide who plays.
Comments that bring something to the table are most welcome. Those that do not may be deleted.
Personal attacks and insults will be deleted. You’re welcome to disagree with me or anyone else by presenting a counter argument, but don’t expect to see your post appear here if you’re overly sarcastic, rude or aggressive.
Permalink
You cannot call a nation “whinging” and feel aggrieved when people respond rudely. I am English, I live in Scotland, I voted YES and shall be voting SNP at the GE. The only part of your diatribe that I have any empathy with is your dislike of Braveheart. The rest is either exaggerated propaganda or outright lies.
Permalink
Well said Estelle, I also live in Scotland and voted YES in the referendum and will be voting SNP at the GE. I have also lived in London and when I worked there I found that the only thing more expensive was the rents and the price of buying a house. Aberdeen is really expensive to live in, rents are high for private housing and also for buying a house. Fares on the busses and train are expensive in fact so is food. I hate hear English people who say that England subsidise Scotland which is not true. Also the oil belongs to Scotland not to Wastemonster but they have wasted billions of pounds in revenue of the oil, they should have set up fund to help us all instead of wasting it, and as for all the wars that Wastemonster has taken the people from this country and I do not just mean Scotland but the whole country is a disgrace. I do so hope that Scotland get its independence then we will see just who subsidises who
Permalink
The oil is in international waters. Closer to Norway than Scotland. It was taken out of the ground by international companies like B.P. the oil is not Scottish.
Permalink
“I even explained patiently to you WHY it is, because clearly you need a lot of help grasping simple concepts like it costing more to serve 100 people spread across 1000 square miles than 100 people concentrated into 15 square miles.”
That may well be the case, but let’s not pretend that the Barnett Formula is calculated on a basis of a needs calculation. The Barnett Formula is a crude population-based formula that overestimates Scotland’s share of the population and consequently gives the Scots too much money (£4.2billion a year according to the Holtham commission).
It might be the case that England’s denser, more ethnically diverse, population is more expensive to maintain than Scotland’s sparse monoculture. For example the cost of social housing in England is greater due to pressure on land resources, and there’s more pressure on schools, hospitals and infrastructure due to rising population.
Permalink
“and consequently gives the Scots too much OF THEIR OWN money ”
Fixed that for you. It’s quite impressive how completely you feel able to ignore the facts contained in the links I’ve posted about which side of the border subsidises which.
Then again, if you’re reading this blog you’ve probably already made your mind up about most things, and nothing as trivial as facts are going to dissuade you.
Permalink
Scotland would be as bust as Iceland if it had been independent
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jeremywarner/100010146/scotland-would-be-as-bust-as-iceland-if-it-had-been-independent/
Could Scotland feasibly go it alone? The bottom line is not without taking a huge hit to living standards and/or public services. During the election campaign, the Scottish Labour Party attempted to cost the SNP goal of quitting the UK and came to the conclusion that without major spending cuts and or tax increases, there would be an ongoing structural budget deficit of £14bn a year, equal to around £2,600 per head of population. Bang goes free university tuition and bang goes free prescriptions. And bang goes an awful lot more to boot.
Ah but the Scots have north sea oil, you say. Well yes, but the Labour Party calculation is after taking account of £4bn a year in North Sea tax revenues.
Permalink
City pays as much tax as all of Scotland
http://www.cityam.com/news-and-analysis/city-pays-much-tax-all-scotland
WORKERS in the Square Mile contributed £11bn to the public purse last year through income tax and national insurance, according to research.
In the tax year 2010/2011 the amount of income tax and NI contributions paid by staff working in the City was the equivalent to the tax paid by the entire Scottish workforce (£11bn).
Permalink
That’s because there is as many people working in the city than the entire Scottish workforce
Permalink
“During the election campaign, the Scottish Labour Party attempted to cost the SNP goal of quitting the UK”
LOL! I hope I have grandchildren one day, so I can tell them of the time Bruce Everiss quoted the Scottish Labour Party during an election campaign as a trustworthy and impartial source of information about SNP policies.
Permalink
If the Scottish coffers are overflowing as they like to suggest, then they would have voted for independance long ago especially as they seem to hate the English so much. What is sad is that it is impossible to get any comments from north of the border which admits the English are being treated unfairly but I suppose they are worried that if the English get a fairer share of the pie, then they will get less. If it were the other way around, the Scots would be rioting on the streets, why are the English so tolerant?
Permalink
Jools Scottish people do not hate the English in fact I am English and a lot of my friends are English, Scottish and Welsh and we all got on very well so stop saying Scottish hate the English as that is just rubbish
Permalink
“If the Scottish coffers are overflowing as they like to suggest, then they would have voted for independance long ago especially as they seem to hate the English so much.”
That might be true if (a) the entire Scottish media wasn’t uniformly and vehemently Unionist, and (b) if the McCrone Report revealing just how wealthy an independent Scotland would be hadn’t been *suppressed by the UK government for 30 years*. You really haven’t read a word, have you?
“What is sad is that it is impossible to get any comments from north of the border which admits the English are being treated unfairly”
Because they’re not. They’re getting billions in subsidy every year from Scotland. Which bit of that are you struggling with?
Permalink
“If the Scottish coffers are overflowing as they like to suggest, then they would have voted for independance long ago especially as they seem to hate the English so much.â€
Oh, and precisely when would they have done that? Presumably during the independence referendum that the Unionist parties have been determinedly blocking for as long as the Scottish Parliament has existed?
Permalink
Hi, thanks for leaving the comment on my blog (“Why Socialism is Evil” – Hmmmm)
Two points. Firstly Devolution was “the settled will of the Scottish people”. There was a cross party constitutional convention that took place from 1990 to 1996 which discussed whether we need a Scottish parliament and what shape it should take. This body was cross party and cross society. Except the Conservatives snubbed it & the SNP walked out after it started (when Independence was rejected as an option). This was before Blair and before Smith and was a reaction to the democratic deficit that came from the 1987 General Election.
Secondly, your synopsis of the UK banking crisis is somewhat skewed. Brown’s policy of “Light touch regulation” is not so far removed from Thatcher’s own Laziz faire ecconomic policy. Brown, Blair and co were essentially Tories wearing red rossettes. Oh and I didn’t know that Barclay’s & Northern Rock were Scottish banks.
Permalink
@Allan
Barclays? They didn’t take a single penny off the government. Neither did HSBC.
The bank failures were largely a Scottish thing.
Permalink
I think u will find 90% of the RBS debt was London based, I think some1 really needs to do a bit of homework Bruce, Scots dint whinge, difference between Scots and english is the Scots are mor politically engaged, the ser what the Westminster establishment really is, A Posh Boys Club, Scots receive free prescriptions, free university etc, why?? Well because they have a government that stands and speaks for them, Scotland have more opportunity, the question which should be asked is, Why ain’t the English receiving the same as the Scots??? 1 answer WESTMINSTER, they bleed the English people dry, they give them nothing back in return for working hard and paying there taxes, instead the English people are abused left right and centre from Westminster, every penny Westminster can strip from the English people, they take it, Scotland has always payed her way, EQUALLY within the uk, Westminster tries to abuse Scotland and succeeds in many ways, the Scottish government have to clean up the mess, When Englands voters waken up which the will, Westminster be afraid, from paedophiles, illegal wars, mp expenses, bedroom tax, sanctions against the vulnerable, Westminster is 1 of the most corrupt places and they laugh at english voters during the process, uts people like u that cause unnecessary trouble between English and Scottish people, its clear to see ur a right wing tory pleb, England stand up against Westminster, we are people not puppets or slaves, Scotland, Wales will stand by your side and change this island before they strip all ur liberties
Permalink
steve,
Nice rant.
Pity you are utterly ignorant of the facts.
Permalink
The banks were actually bailed out by the US not the British tax payer that is just a fallicy spread by your corrupt British government and before you say crap go do a bit of reading and you will find the facts it might actually do your small minded racist brain some good.
Permalink
Maurice, For your education here are the facts of the “bail out”. Needless to say you are utterly wrong: http://www.bruceonpolitics.com/2015/02/04/austerity-labour-lie/
As for your name calling, here is the pyramid of intellect. You seem to be near the bottom:
Permalink
There is no trying to talk to you as you have made up your mind that Scottish people hate the English, that England subsidise Scotland when that is rubbish. But never mind you carry on believing what you think you know and I wish England would kick Scotland out of the Union. I live in Scotland and have done for many years since I first went to school and I am now nearly 65, I also vote YES in the referendum and will be voting SNP on 7 May. So Wastemonster better get used to having a few more SNP members coming to Wastemonster than they have now
Permalink
HBOS’s operational HQ is in Halifax, which the last time I checked wasn’t in Scotland.
Permalink
Wiki says:
HBOS was formed by the 2001 merger of Halifax plc and the Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland,[1] and the formation of HBOS was heralded as creating a fifth force in British banking as it created a company of comparable size and stature to the established Big Four UK retail banks. It is also the UK’s largest mortgage lender.[2] HBOS Group Reorganisation Act 2006 saw the transfer of Halifax plc to the Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland, which was now a registered public limited company, Bank of Scotland plc.
Although officially HBOS is not an abbreviation of any specific words, it is widely presumed to stand for Halifax Bank of Scotland. The corporate headquarters of the group were located on The Mound in Edinburgh, Scotland; the former head office of Bank of Scotland. Operational headquarters were based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England; the former head office of Halifax.[3]
Permalink
Didn’t I just say that?
Permalink
When money is spent in England it’s called spending, when it’s in Scotland its ‘subsidising’. Get a grip of yourself…. a compelling argument? haha More like the same old shite over and over again. London subsidises the rest of England. And it’s the English that are the whingers. Always complaining about Europe where they are of course hated and indeed throughout the world.
Permalink
what a load of right wing, rascist drivel…
Permalink
thats it Brucie silence all opposition to your home counties imperialist rubbish
Permalink
Please don’t allow my comments to be posted they contribute pretty much nothing to the discussion.
Permalink
Jeezo. Can I make the suggestion that with that kind of attitude, maybe it wasn’t anti-Englishness you experienced but simply anti-Brucieness?
Permalink
The Jocks are welcome to independence, all English MOD bases closed etc etc. Have fun!
Permalink
Bruce, a question, where has all these Scottish banks been paying the corporation tax too these last couple of century’s?
Permalink
What do you think of this one Bruce?
James Mitchell:
Rebalancing economy begins in London Published Date: 29 May 2010 I MUST admit, my initial response to David Cameron’s speech was that it was all really what we were expecting. It reflected a lot of what he was saying during the election campaign, when he argued that certain parts of the country rely too heavily on the state. It is also the case that he clearly needs to deal with the fiscal deficit, and when you add all that up it is not surprising that he is looking to shift the focus from the public to the private sector. The one issue we in Scotland should look closely at is when he spoke about rebalancing the economy, so that there is less reliance on London and the south-east – well, that works both ways. London has to come to terms with the fact that it is the most subsidised part of the UK. If David Cameron is going to look at the public sector, he has to start with London. The Olympic Games is a classic example. It is presented as a UK-wide project with UK-wide benefits, when what it is really doing is regenerating the east end of London. Now that’s not a bad thing, and it’s fine if they want to do that, but let’s do it honestly and across the board. The state still has major responsibilities that it cannot walk away from. For instance, it has responsibility for creating infrastructure, which is badly needed for businesses. Up here we have the Forth Road Bridge, which is vital for the economy and which needs state support. This is an area which highlights the fact that the whole issue of borrowing powers for the Scottish Parliament has to be sorted out. David Cameron has got to deliver borrowing powers for Scotland, that is the bare minimum. If Scotland was able to borrow money itself and fund major capital projects, such as a new Forth crossing, that would be a much better way of addressing issues in regard to infrastructure. Let’s not forget, these projects are designed to keep the economy going; it’s a form of economic investment and only the state can do that. Sometimes we have to spend money in order to save, and invest in order to get a return. We must be very careful that we don’t choke off the economy through cutbacks We need to be very wary of the demands that certain parts of the estate should see spending cuts, when heavy subsidies are going elsewhere. There was a very interesting debate during the election campaign when Jeremy Paxman was trying to grill a Plaid Cymru economic adviser. He was suggesting that Wales was heavily subsidised, and the adviser turned round and said that London is the most subsidised part of the country. OK, Mr Cameron, if you want to push this agenda, then push it to its logical conclusion, and stand up to the over-subsidising of London. •
James Mitchell is a professor of politics at Strathclyde University. /news.scotsman.com/politics/James-Mitchell-Rebalancing-economy-begins.6328456.jp#5264849
Permalink
You ask “Should we kick the whingeing Jocks out of the UK?”
This is a A nonsensical question.
If Scotland goes independent, there will be no UK, as the Union of 1707 will be dissolved.
However, Scotland will not be abandoning the Monarch. She’s Scottish. It will be back to the Union of the Crowns, with Elizabeth 1 of Scotland and II of England.
It will be difficult for Scotland, as the mighty English will put difficulties in Scotland’s way.
Scottish Shipyards will be open for business and will build the best ships for foreign navies. Even the English one. Once we’ve finished our own fleet, that is.
The English Navy will be broke in 5 years after paying the rent on the Scottish Nuke base.
The English Army will never recruit enough soldiers from its own land, and will require the secondment of Scottish troops to make up the numbers.
Scotland will have a spaceport and may permit English spaceplanes to use it for emergency landings.
Permalink
Also
After Scottish Independence Scotland should have a Great Britain referendum on extending Scotland’s border down to the Humber.
Permalink
Scotland needs to watch it. The Tories are too smug and giving in too easily. They may have a wheeze up their sleeve like keeping the Shetlands and the associated Territorial waters and mineral rights.
Permalink
What utter ill-informed nonsense from one of Cameron’s our little Englanders.
“This is £2,600 we pay annually to the average Scot. They spend it on things like free prescriptions and free university fees. So the Scots get far more from the state, paid for by us English.”
Laugh out Loud. I thought only Daily Mail readers spouted this ignorant nonsense.
England pays not one penny to Scotland. Scotland contributes 9.9% of all UK taxes and gets back 9.3% of all UK spending.
Scotland receives more than most UK regions but pays in even more into the exchequer.
Scotland looks after its young, old and sick better than the English because it has different priorities from the whinging English. WHilst the English re-reorganise the NHS and turn its ‘education’ (sic) upside down Scots put their spending to better us.
The English vote Tory and whinge that Scotland adopts socialist policies and are envious. You really have to laugh at their stupidity.
The fool has the nerve to raise the issue of racism. There is no more racist country than England … as this writer makes perfectly clear.
Permalink
Some idiotic english man said and i quote “” The Scots cost us English £14 billion a year “”.
Does that idiot not know that our gas and oil is worth more than that a year,so we give the english more than £14 Billion a year and get a wee bit back,so who is keeping who.Some people should keep there gub shut.
Permalink
aye bruce please do we’re ae subsidizing ye parasites make yer politicians think as ye do sassenach,Saor alba gu brath 2014 😀
Permalink
Do some research before posting such drivel Scotland will be glad to see the back of fools like you. We Will Vote YES!
Permalink
We’ll said HODDLES, you could have also pointed out that Scotland had the community (poll) tax foisted on her a year before the other countries off these islands.
I lived in England for a year and the racial abuse and attempted assaults by the English peoples was a daily occurrence.
Bruce on politics, if you truly feel that we Scots are a drain on your economy please urge your beloved prime minister to let us gain our independence immediately. Was Northern Rock Bank not the first one to have gotten into financial difficulties. Get your basic facts correct first before you open your silly little mouth.
Permalink
maybe before we scots have our independance vote, we should have a lets see if england really wants us to stay vote…..after all., us scots cost you brits so much, then again this is only cash value…keep in mind the many scots always first into battle for you brits….remember the great wealth you english have stolen over the years from hard working scots…..and when you winge about how cameron had an overwhelming majority in the last election, keeping in mind that may have been in england, we scots feel agrieved that we return an overwhelming nationalist vote that has no bearing on the westminster boot that heels us into the ground, even though this is a clear message to westminster that we want our own destiny in our own hands…..and since all politicians are what they are, how will these same politicians be placed after scotland returns a yes vote when they have previously said they want to remain part of the union,…surely they should not be allowed to stand for election in a free scotland, having already stated they wish to be no part of a free independant scotland, as this would certainly be a conflict of intrest for them….mind you, they are politicians and will do what it takes to get their mucky hands on our money, and any power that goes with it
Permalink
I live in NorthEast England and have many gripes with the Westminster government but without delving into useless facts and figures forever and a day I know that we will all be better off together. My politics are socialist through and through but I have no sympathy with the lies and arrogance of the SNP. There is however a canker in the Scottish psyche that will not go away, even after the referendum vote. My heart goes out to the family of Mark Ayton murdered in Edinburgh just because of his English accent! His murderers were from higher middle class stock which beggars belief for Scotland’s future.
Maybe it would be better if Scots voted for independence. Let them get it off their chests forever. Salmond forever! Democracy for the few! As long as your’e SNP and Scots your’e OK. Everyone knows where Scotland is but no one wants to go there!
I think Salmond assuming the support of the rest of the British people south of the border is a little out of KILTer. He forgets history and the Scots disastrous venture with Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Anyway what will be will be.
Permalink
please please kick the whinging jocks out
Permalink
it would be best thing for Scotland roll on September
Permalink
There is only one racist here and isnt the Scots.
You really need to do far more research before writing an article like this.
It is undisputed fact that Scotland pays more in tax to Westminster than they get back.
Racist, juvenile writing like this is not representactive of the huge majority of English.
Permalink
If Scotland is so useless, and we’re so racist then why is the union fighting to keep us? Obviously we have something that they desperately want to keep. We can’t be that much of a burden now can we? We claim benefits because there’s no work sir! We claim benefits because you’re govt tell us that we are entitled to them. Money makes the world go around. I can honestly say that i have heard quite back things about the English attitude towards Scottish living on England. So it seems the “white on white racism” would go both ways. No sense in pointing fingers. It actually seems a bit childish to blame the whole of a country for your experiences with a few people while residing in Scotland. With the attitude you put forth yourself, it’s clear to see why you would experience such attitudes towards yourself. Scotland and the SNP are trying very hard to make things run as smoothly as possible with the very high possibility of Independence. Westminster are the ones spitting the dummy out and whinging. So i think perhaps you shouldn’t advocate for England as you seem to be so set on letting Scotland go.
Permalink
Thanks, very much indeed, for playing into our hands. Enjoy bedroom tax and a privatised NHS.
Permalink
Irrelevant.
Without Scotland the UK ceases to exist. Go look it up, I’m not explaning it to you.
I know you’re attitude and racism isn’t typical for an englishman so guess it’s just you.
I’m upset I found this blog and wasted 5 minutes of my sad little life. However what you think is irrelevant. What matters is the vote on 18th September. You could do us all a favour, yourself included and call your MP and tell him to get shot of these whinging Scots. That would be good. Enjoy your forever tory and UKIP country.
Permalink
I’ve never heard such unadulterated biased drivel in all of my life. What never ceases to amaze me is the stupidity of so called “Educated” people, who buy into all this “England subsidises Scotland” nonsense. Especially when the facts are the exact reverse. Scotland has been subsidising the English for years. What is really embarrassing for you Bruce is that you perpetually quote Wikipedia :/ I mean, come on :O WIKI!!! Most of the disinformation on there has been written by unemployed cyber-morons with nothing better to do with their time, yet you are quoting it like it’s the Magna Carta!!!!!
Also, you say that us “Jocks” are racist, yet the only person to make any racist remarks is yourself??? Dear Pot……….Yours Sincerely, Kettle.
Anyone who reads this tripe and actually believes any of what you have written has either lived a very insular, institutionalised life, or they should be institutionalised, because it is absolute codswallop.
Bring on September 19th when us “Jocks” wake up to a free country. Never having to put up with a Tory Government that we never voted for ever again. Never having to participate in illegal wars which have nothing to do with us. Never having to watch convoys of lorries carrying nuclear weapons drive through our beautiful countryside. Never having to help London’s elite get richer from skimming our tax. And above all, never having to be labelled “British” ever again in our lives.
Scottish, proud, and free.
Permalink
Haha, what utter nonsense. Scots generate £56,000,000,000 a year on tax, thats £17,000 per head. Now the rUK average is £9000. Of this we get £12,000 back. Edinburgh dont borrow money, we balance our books and thats why we can afford free stuff. It is absolutely nothing to do with subsidy from England haha. In fact Scotland has given more than £220,000,000,000 more in tax since 1980 than the rest of the uk. And btw, theres a minimum of 30 years oil left (with more being found on the west coast) but thats £1,200,000,000,000……not too bad for a wee country.
Permalink
Drown in the floods U English bawbag
Permalink
1. The Barnett ‘squeeze’ has no legal standing or democratic justification, even Barnett calls for it to be scrapped because its completely out of date and unfair. Also unfair to blame the Scots for Westminster’s bad management, that’s why they want away. You don’t actually pay anything to the Scots, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland get more per head, but Scotland pay more tax per head than the rest of the UK, equal to more than the extra they get. Also your figure of £2,600 is ridiculous, as is your assertion that the English pay for everything.
2. Yes, I would agree, it is a hot bed of socialism, f*ck yeah! More like a cure for the cancer that is Westminster though. You clearly have no idea about how politics in the UK work, no matter who the Scots, the welsh or the Irish elect, the ruling party will always be decided by the English, do the maths.
3. LOL! A Socialist Racist hot bed? See what you did there?
4. We have schools, very good ones, remember those? In those schools we teach history, we know who Wallace was, and we can tell the difference between him and Mel. Liking it to Goebbels and the Nazis is stretching it just a wee bit, its a film, in which the Scots and Irish get to wave their arses at the English, u mad bro?
5. This is insane. If we had been independent we would have no debt, none, not a penny, in fact we paid 64billion in YOUR debt that we didnt have too. There is no such thing as an English subsidy for Scotland, stop reading the Sun.
6. Gordon Brown, it was you morons that voted him in, duh.
Anything else you have no clue about?
Permalink
I would love a debate with you Brucie, you really got a lot to learn. You to told me on twitter to go, you ment leave the Uk? Thatcher didn’t give me any choice in 1981 so I left and wouldn’t dream of coming back whilst Scotland is under an English Gov. BTW I am not racist against the English in any way but I am against politics and politicians as they are now governed by multinational corporations and banks, they are just puppets. People think they have a choice by voting left or right, I laugh, it’s doesn’t matter who they vote for the winners are picked long before the voting day. I believe Scotland has the right to be it’s own nation and a lot better without England, as long as the politics stays uncorrupted, something I doubt.
Permalink
Your rant is littered with falsehoods from the start. There is no such organisation as the Scottish Nationalist Party. SNP is an abbreviation for the Scottish National Party — always has been, always will be.
With only 8.3% of the population we pay 9.9% of UK taxes but only receive 9.3% of the expenditure. That’s £4 billion a year we’re losing to Westminster. We also spend £250 million from our own budget simply to mitigate against a bedroom tax that Scotland overwhelmingly rejected. That’s 1,000 houses that won’t get built this year. But as long as England has high-speed rail links that’s OK, isn’t it?
As for your racist(?) rant, does the word irony mean anything to you?
Braveheart: Scottish history lessons at school had a distinctly unionist slant, covering 1707 onwards from the perspective of England, but with very little coverage of our own history, the union (and separation!) of the crowns, the rebellions that followed the Act of Union, the invasions of Cromwell and so on. As an English racist I’m really not at all surprised that you would regard the film as a “totally fictitious piece of Hollywood propaganda”. Braveheart was not totally fictitious. It was based upon very real events. Events that are now exposed to a worldwide audience that can easily verify the facts for themselves. Events that give pride to every Scotsman. Events that every Englishman should be utterly ashamed of.
The Scottish banks were bailed out with UK taxpayers money — mine as well as yours. By your own reasoning, Lloyds was bailed out with Scottish taxes, yet Lloyds do not operate in Scotland at all. You’re welcome by the way.
59 Scottish MPs deciding upon English affairs. You really don’t understand irony do you? Since the end of WWII, the Scottish vote has only affected the outcome twice. And in all that time we got fewer than 50% of the governments we actually voted for. But that’s democracy for you. If you really want unfair, look at the 1979 referendum. The only referendum in history where votes were cast from the grave!
I could go on, but I’ve got to catch a haggis for my supper. Guid nicht ya ravin’ bawbag!
Permalink
Jesus Bruce yer a bit o a numpty min ….maybe ye should check oot yer ‘facts’ …even Better Together the pro union lot are nae saying Scotland is subsidised ony mair … the accounts for Scotland show we pay mair in taxes than we get back and even then theres hidden taxes nae credited to Scotland but generated here …VAT from the likes of Tescos selling stuff here but headquartered in England so the credit goes te the UK tax take …overall thats reckoned te be over a billion quid . I notice ye have dissappeared ….nae a good sign. Cheers
Permalink
this made me laugh reading half of this BS would be enough to make any scot vote for independence. The people who read this crap are as ignorant as the man who writes it, i particularly like how he blocked the first person to disagree and prove him wrong. There is a reason why the tories want us to stay and that is because scotland currently pays more into the uk than it gets out and at the rate the uk is accumulating debt when the interest rate goes up on that debt by even just 1% the uk is gonna fall harder than greece and ireland combined FACT. the uk economy is in worse nick than any EU country and in fact the last time any country had as much debt to GDP ratio was when the germans imploded after the first world war and people could paper their walls with money as it was cheaper than buying paper!! I cant wait for our independence as this is the sort of bigoted crap that causes anti english sentiment, i lived in england for a year and believe me there is plenty of anti scottish sentiment.
Permalink
It is amazing how utterly economically illiterate so many people are.
The value of oil extracted is not money for Scotland, or anyone, to spend. It is the turnover of businesses, a small part of which is profit.
This profit is not Scotland’s to spend. It belongs to the companies and is the reward for their investment and risk.
What belongs to the government, British or Scottish, is the taxation on this profit.
Permalink
When I see the comments that some Scots people have made it is obvious that they have a huge education problem.
Permalink
Yes Bruce the profit is the companies……WHO PAY A FEE TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE RIGHTS TO DRILL IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! These same companies also employ local staff. These same staff also spend money in our shops and businesses, all of which adds to the economy. You see the domino effect I’m getting at here Bruce? Yet you have the temerity to call us economically illiterate!!!
As for education being a problem in this country, I nearly had a hernia I laughed so much at that statement. I have taught in English universities Bruce. I have also taught in Scottish universities where I currently hold a post in Glasgow. My parents are both head teachers who have taught in England, Scotland, Spain, and Guernsey. Believe me when I say this……The English “education” system is one of the worst in the world.
You see, the problem here isn’t lack of education on our part, it’s ignorance to the facts on yours. You would rather live in your wee racist bubble and believe all the tripe the media indoctrinates you with down there, than open up your eyes to the truth.
I have some very close friends who are English, thankfully they lack the arrogance and ignorance of yourself, and can see what is actually happening in this country right now, rather than being just another sheep.
Their advice on independence has unanimously been “If you have the chance to get out, run for your life”.
When we gain independence, each and every one of you blind Englishmen and women will very quickly realise just who has been preventing this union from sinking into the channel.
Saor Alba
Permalink
Also, you talk of us being uneducated, while repeatedly quoting Wikipedia!!! Is this the pinnacle of your research Bruce? I think you need a new reference library old bean. I sincerely hope the irony of this isn’t lost on you
Permalink
Brucie, I would like to put my head up and stand above the parapet in taking 30 seconds of my time and say a great big thank you for putting me straight and seeing how silly I have been. Never before have I been shown the light so well by one person, this has been a sole changing moment in my life, even more so than the Falklands where I fought. Your comments has done what other more educated folk have been unable to do………..
Im now voting YES !!! Your manking ways shows the utter contempt that you hold for everyone who does not share your value, you have shown your ignorance of this serious matter !!!
Permalink
Your a fucking idiot BRUCE, your comments are so full of shit it’s unbelievable! I can’t see one fact in there! If you don’t know what you talking about keep you mouth shut, fucking retard! Thank god mongs like you don’t get a say on our independence so just keep your fucking nose out of it.
Permalink
with oil you first have to grant a permit to explore for oil and to extract it then the tax on it …
first some of the leading people in there field have given there time and effort into researching and formulating a plan not just for Scotland but for the ruk the fact is that Norway with out oil is poor Norway with oil is fourth richest in the world so that explains a lot about value of oil does it not mr bruce ..
second Scotland is an net exporter of food stuff this means we grow more then we consume this is regarded is a good indicator that it can be a sustainable nation
third as part of the Edinburgh agreement both parliaments agreed to respect not only the outcome of the referendum but also to share all debt and benefits [alex salmond as stuck to ] the pound sterling is a benefit it also states that in the event of a independent Scotland a air of cooperation would exist between Westminster and holyrood I would like to note that by stating Scotland would not be able t keep the pound this is in breach of this agreement and is yet another evidence that Westminster is nothing but a hot bed of rats and if you would sleep with the animals you should expect to attract flea’s ..
lastly
david Cameron and other leading politicians from Westminster have all said at one point or another
that to suggest that Scotland could not make it alone would be wrong that it would be better if Scotland stayed in the union .. now in that argument I would thing it should not be about whether Scotland should leave it should be why should we stay
the fact is over the years Scotland has been eroded we have had our industry destroyed to almost the point that you we would think we never had any and the point is only with the power in out own hands can we make decisions that will shape our future .. the only people saying we cant is Westminster Scotland is strong it is not the money grabbing nation stated here we pay more than our way and if you bothered to look in to the matter more than just stating your anti Scottish drivel you would see the real issues and to state that we have education issue’s is rich coming from some one who fails to look into the matter further than their own self loathing about Scotland bright future .. maybe you should go ask a few bankers from Asia or some leading professors about Scotland economy and maybe the rose tinted glasses will slowly lift from your eyes
Permalink
You talk so much of us “Jocks” being racist? Either your just acting the complete c*nt or you just dont realise how condradicting you really are. It’s people like you in that write up utter filth and half of it complete nonsense that cause tension/ agrovasion or even hatred between oposing parties.
Total arrogant pri*k. Its people like you that give your country a bad reputation.
Permalink
You have got to be the most delusional ‘commentator’ I have ever come across! You are so oblivious to the contradiction throughout your discourse that I am compelled to question your grip on reality. One of the fundamental tenets of your ‘argument’ circulates around Scots (or as you so eloquently name us ‘Jocks’) being innately racist, claiming that we, and I quote, “call us (English) white settlers when we live thereâ€. This is laughable, especially coming from a man who deploys a racist mantra within the title of his article. Are you forgetting that during the ‘UK’ riots of 2011 not one instance of civil disobedience occurred in Scotland? You also seem to be overlooking the fact that the North of your country is a stronghold of a far right political party, one which feeds upon the innate racist tendencies of your social subaltern. However, this fact may be lost on you as I am assuming that you are a Southerner, a member of the English ‘elite’ who holds prejudices against people from their own sovereign state. So making assumptions regarding any form of articulate insights from you is a long shot. Mr Everiss have the appearance of a man who assumes a lot about himself, namely his intelligence, inflated sense of worth, and prowess within the realm of critical thought – this is why you are so wonderfully amusing. A quick scan through your ‘opus’ reveals an intellectually diminished man, drunk on the simpletons’ excitement of the voice the internet can provide anyone with a broadband connection. Keep swinging for the fences good Sir, the world is always in need of more delusional conservatives. 


Small bit of advice for you Bruce’y boy; before you post another one of these nonsensical rants tasked with tapping into the unethical perceptions of the political illiterate, take a moment to reflect upon how you will come across. What image you are forwarding, and how it may have a detrimental impact upon your prospects of gainful employment. Im assuming Codemasters would not actively seek to have a self indulgent bigot in charge of their marketing campaigns. As a final aside, you seemed to do a fantastic job with them mate! When was the last time they actively published a game that anyone actually cared about? Certainly not under your tenure……


Much love, goodnight!
Permalink
As a Scot I found this blog uproariously funny!
Permalink
It amazes me that people are actually taking the bait and believing this… Just stop and think after you read something. I mean, nobody is this stupid. It’s an obvious troll.
Permalink
We should kick out the scots whatever the cost. They hate me because I was born in England even though both my parents are from Scotland, McDougal and Scott. They are racist pigs and England would be a better place without them in it.
Permalink
You were dumb enough to believe the lies of the English media, it was all just propaganda to scare Scots from voting for Independence, the media wanted to stir the pot and idiots like you believed them. There was English for Scottish Independence who marched along side us for the real reasons we wanted to leave union was to get away from Westminster and to run our own Affairs. Do you believe people should stay in a relationship that isn’t working? No, no one does! Your hatred for Scots is far far worse than that of ours towards you. You just show you’re ignorant selves up for anyone that reads these racist blogs and racist comments to show people around the world what nasty, racist people some English folk are. Thankfully the majority of them have braincells and see what the English media were doing and they had intelligence not to believe it!
Permalink
ElaineS
We all know who the biggest liar in Scotland is: http://www.bruceonpolitics.com/2014/12/11/alex-salmond-lies-scottish-finances/
Permalink
You are a racist, pure and simple Bruce. Why not check out Race Discrimination Act 2010 and your obvious hatred for us encourages others racism…under this act when a Nationality or national origin is attacked or even our culture these are under the race discrimination Act 2010. Your calling of us Jocks, Sweaty Socks, bashing our culture is all a reportable crime in the same way folk call people “Paki” “Poof” and the “N” word etc. I know this because I have already had two in the south charged after speaking to a local police woman who confirmed what was being spouted by many English was racist. The English media and politicians stirred up a lot of racism because of what they were telling in way of lies…..no wonder wars start through the media./politicians. We had many English folk who walked side by side us in wanting the best for the country they lived in and had adopted as home, they too wanted away from Westminster but the English press and racists like yourself spouted us being anti English and our English friends and neighbours had to constantly dispute it knowing what the truth was and the racism wasn’t coming from the north but the south. What I am anti at, is anti ignorant racists like yourself. I guess its says all about how you were dragged up by your parents and not taught any human decency.
Permalink
ElaineS
The word Jock has been used by many recent British Prime Ministers. Are they all racist too?
I think you have swallowed a self righteous political correctness pill.
Permalink
I’m half Scottish, and am wondering if English is your second, or perhaps third language?
In case it is, you’ve done very well but one of the first rules of writing in English is that you cannot separate complete thoughts with a comma. You must use a semicolon or a fullstop instead.
Children around the age of five or six write in the same way they speak, using endless run-on sentences filled with commas because they haven’t yet learned the rules of the English language. It’s endearing to see their untutored enthusiasm but also an easy way to judge the mental age of the writer.
If you’re proud of your English heritage – as I’m sure there is ample reason to be – perhaps show it some respect by learning to write properly, and your opinions may be taken more seriously!
Permalink
Well said.
Permalink
We don’t want your pathetic little union. But you could try personally kicking me if you want to end up on your stupid little Saxon arse, keyboard warrior.
Permalink
Yes please kick us out 😂 because when you take away our tax and our oil and shel gas as a means to pay scotlands outrages 14 billion from the Barnet formula you have dick to pay us with… That’s like me taking £100 of each of U english and giving U £9.99 back then bitching it’s come from my very own pocket lol…. Please give us the boot and when england is absolutely bankrupt and U come running back begging to be a Union again we will simple say….. GET FUCKED!!!
Permalink
I think he may have been hit once to offten with the facts, this will also be my one and only comment to your blog.
Dont let the door hit you on the way out.
Permalink
Kick us out please please,and where do you get this we get £14 billion of money from you English lot,we keep you lot.Our Shel gas,oil,income tax infact every piece of money goes to you lot and you have the audarcity to say you lot keep Scotland,lets take it back and the Mighty England wold be crawling back to us SCOTS asking for a loan so that you lot can live,me i would say F__K Ofoh and one other thing your Lords and MPs would bankrupt you in 5 years.Now have a nice day.
Permalink
Bruce, I am not going to attack you personally, but may I suggest your knowledge of Scottish politics and the historical reasons for devolution and a thirst for more autonomy is sorely wanting? Scotland has institutionally been a semi-independent State since the Union of Parliaments. I am afraid calling us all Celts and it is all to do with money misses the very real feeling in Scotland that the rest of the UK, and we really mean here the power centre in London, has diverged too far from the original family of nations by some degree. Scotland is a civic place where the feeling of internationalism is more of the Northern European ideal rather than the London-centric one of rule by might and right, which still prevails. Scotland’s journey now is one of self determination, not just on the economy but how we wish to be governed and how we wish our civic institutions to flourish. It is not anti-English, nor based on silly Hollywood movies. To reduce it as you have to simplistic jingoistic knee-jerk responses, on both sides, is to miss the very point and indeed paradoxically makes it, for Scotland to want to progress away from blinkered post-imperialist thinking.
Permalink
Find it funny that the article calls Scots racist with comments like white settler whilst running the headline “JOCKS”, P.S I lived in London and was regularly told to go home,Jock cnut was also a regular abuse…
Permalink
Sweaty sock – Taff – ETC. England nearly always gets what it votes for no matter what Scots, Irish and Welsh vote for. But I Thought We Were Better Together. Holyrood keeps spending tight and wisely. instead of being childish wingeing about what others have that you don’t why don’t you vote for parties that would provide the same things? Hardly rocket science! You Got What You Wished For Scotland still in the union, now your moaning that Scots are going to vote SNP. Its a bloody democracy stupid people can vote for who they like. YOU BEING OFFENDED DOES NOT MAKE YOU RIGHT! .National means inclusive and encompassing. The National Museum of Wales is NOT fascist anymore than the English National Cricket team. SNP MPs don’t vote on English and Welsh only issues and SNP don’t in fact refuse to enter the House of Lords.
If your neighbour’s child has an ice-cream YOU DON’T take away the ice-cream because YOUR Child does NOT have one. Buy your child an ice-cream or shut up.
In my view you come over as rather sad, racist and angry.
I get it your jealous! Just buy your kid an ice-cream and if you can’t afford it Vote For Another Party for Westminster. You English aways get what you voted for so its not hard.
Westminster is a British Parliament not England’s alone. The Bank of England founded by a Scot is British not English. Scottish banks are hardly Scottish just because Scotland is in the title.
Canadian and Swiss banks were not in trouble, in an independent Scotland perhaps Bankers would have been bankers and not super-market con men playing roulette with its people’s money. London roulette players failed us and instead of gaol they got a bonuses.
Permalink
I have lived and worked in the prosperous south and made many good friends there but I also saw so much deprivation and bigotry . I first went to London in the early 60s and lived in the Bush ( shepherds Bush ) I have worked in the city in St martin`s Le Grand and over the years saw how even the Londoners have had to move out. the honest hard working classes have been betrayed by all the UK party`s and like we Scots they are only beginning to see that there is an other way. The bigots on any side have always been there but it is something that most Scots are trying to change no it is something that we will change. For now we will change Westminster. We are now becoming the most politically aware Nation in Europe and we will not go back in our box. Saor Alba
Permalink
As a Scot, I urge you to kick us out of the UK.
“preventing the English from getting the governments that we vote for”. Are you serious? The last time the Scottish vote affected Westminster was the early 70s. That’s FORTY years of an English elected government. It’s Scotland that doesn’t get who it voted for.
Permalink
I loved the “cancer of socialism” line. Priceless! Capitalism is definitely the way to go. It’s great to live in a world where 1% of the population have more than 50% of the money, whilst one in three live in poverty. Capitalism is only non cancerous if your one of the 1%. Complete socialism isn’t correct either.
Our society should be looking for a blend of the two. People should be able to make money, but not at the expense of people being unable to hear their homes or even eat.
The author of this nonsense clearly supports people living in poverty, and seems to be the shared view of Southern England. So with that in mind, please kick us out of the UK.
The amusing thing is Westminster call this a “union”. Hilarious.
Permalink
Racism? Really? UKIP, who are nothing more than the acceptable wing of the BNP, are looking good in England for the 2015 elections. Are they even standing in Scotland?
I’ve lived in both Scotland and England, and known English people on both sides of the border and never once heard anyone being referred to as “white settlers”. But lets not forget, the ‘British’ (controlled by LONDON) colonised India, Australia and America amongst others. Slaughtered the natives and stole their land. So white settlers does fit to a certain extent.
When I lived in Buckinghamshire for a decade, I experienced more anti Scots hostility than Ive witnessed anti English in Scotland. England itself is divided about itself own people. The north hates the south and vice versa. This isn’t a problem Scotland has. Your Scottish and that’s good enough. Scotland does have other issues of course. And do have you been following the racism towards the Scots in the English media for simply wanting to have a say in their own future? Thats what you call proper racism.
Permalink
“Scottish financial institutions”. Are you aware that RBS is registered in England?
Some relevant facts for you:
1.The banks were wholly regulated from London. They were only allowed to change the way they lend money by the Westminster Parliament who were following the neo-classical economic strategy of little or seemingly no regulation, and a no limits on lending strategy as long as the loan is secured against an asset. The joint architect of this economic strategy that helped to collapse the global economy was Alistair Darling now the leader of the ‘No’ campaign.
2.90% of RBS and HBoS UK employees were based in out-with Scotland so 90% of employers income tax was paid to Westminster, and not counted as Scottish or Scottish Government revenue.
3.Likewise 90% of the banks national insurance contributions were paid to Westminster and not counted as Scottish.
4.80% of the losses of RBS for example were generated from the banks London based operations.
5.As with all companies corporation tax is not considered regional and therefore the corporation tax paid by the banks is not considered to be a Scottish Government revenue, it is all paid directly to Westminster. Note: RBS paid £16 billion in corporate taxes from 1998 to 2007, NONE of this was counted as Scottish Government revenue.
Permalink
Gordon Brown, a “misguided Scottish socialist”. Are you aware that Brown is a Labour MP? Labout haven’t been close to being soclialist for decades. Long before Brown got into power. Agreed that Brown made a mess, but Alistair Darling, the TORY, has tripled the debt that Brown left behind.
Basiclally this article is utter nonsense, written to instil anti Scots hysteria in weak minded English. I suspect most sensible English folk will read this and see it for the garbage that it is.
However, I implore you to kick Scotland out of the UK. Its what we want.
Permalink
As for the Barnet Formula. Scots do indeed receive more per head than the English, but that is partially because we put in more per head than the English. As for free education, and free prescriptions, well this money comes out of the “handouts” from London. These handouts come from a purse that leave Scotland, go to London, and come back to Scotland quite a bit lighter. Its not ‘extra’ funds we get from the overlords in London to keep us happy. Its money that isn’t spent elsewhere in Scotland.
Bruce, you are an ill informed, racist moron who has an anti Scots agenda. I suspect you have similar blogs about blacks, Asians and other migrants that are making a mess of your Aryan vision of England.
Permalink
I say yes 100% kick them out of the UK. They pay more per head in taxes according to GERS (around £800 a head more) but get more out, fair IMO. But the moan moan moan, how dare they! They get more than the English spent on them! OK they pay more in but who cares!
Lets face it though, London will never boot Scotland out of the union, why? Because the remainder of the UK would very seriously struggle. The GERS is the tip of the iceberg. They pay far more in over and above and if Scotland left or was cut off, England would very seriously suffer and, almost certainly end up in a similar mess to that of Spain, Greece etc.. We need the moaning Jocks to help bolster our national GDP!
Soyeah, kick them out, but never forget what they give and how much we stand to lose without Scotland. Make no bones about it. The money they get is very much theirs and if they were without the English, Scotland would be far wealthier!!!
Permalink
Oh, and by the way. The Queen is NOT Queen of Scotland, she is very much an English Queen and monarchy. If Scotland opted to maintain the Royals, it would be done on a Commonwealth style basis. Such as Canada or NZ/Oz etc.. There is the option to do as the USA did and elected a presidency.
Permalink
allykrap,
Like most of what the Scottish nationalist have posted here you are utterly incorrect:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/allanmassie/100069415/elizabeth-queen-of-scots/
Permalink
Shove this in yur pipe and smoke it, you havent a scooby about the situation except what your spoon fed by the media. have you ever read any unbiased reports on the comments you make. (this report is done by westminster NOT the scots) http://www.thenational.scot/comment/scots-are-no-longer-sleepwalking-to-the-polling-booths-to-vote-labour.1035?ref=rss&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_term=Autofeed&link_time=1426232102
Permalink
william gordon,
From the Herald and Times Group in Glasgow selectively cherry picking a handful of figures.
Permalink
Bruce.
A fine piece of journalistic vandalism.
Regretfully you stirred up the response on a par with the quality of your work.
For the record, I moved to Scotland nearly Seventeen years ago, and have never come across the anti English sentiment you refer to.
Permalink
If your so fed up with us, grow a pair and demand a free england.
In the mean time care to comment?
“Independence debate: Yes, Scotland?
By Mure Dickie and Keith Fray
Even pro-unionists accept that the country has all the ingredients to be a viable nation state
If its geographic share of UK oil and gas output is taken into account, Scotland’s GDP per head is bigger than that of France. Even excluding the North Sea’s hydrocarbon bounty, per capita GDP is higher than that of Italy. Oil, whisky and a broad range of manufactured goods mean an independent Scotland would be one of the world’s top 35 exporters.
An independent Scotland could also to start with healthier state finances than the rest of the UK.”
/www.ft.com/cms/s/2/5b5ec2ca-8a67-11e3-ba54-00144feab7de.html#ixzz3UcgRRnh
Permalink
A little out of date, but still true.
“Scotland subsidising rest of UK’ October 2010 by World Renowned Economist Andrew Hughes Hallett
“A leading Professor of Economics, Andrew Hughes Hallett, has sensationally confirmed that Scotland has been subsidising the UK treasury in London for years and that the Calman Commission recommendations are unworkable and potentially damaging.”
Permalink
Alan,
I think you will find that most of the figures bandied round by the SNP are a pack of lies. As I prove here: http://www.bruceonpolitics.com/2014/12/11/alex-salmond-lies-scottish-finances/
Permalink
But I don’t use the SNP figures. I use non SNP sources.
As for the pack of lies, that’s how the vote was won was it not?
Permalink
The oil money, would have made up a 13 -15% of Scotlands total GDP. Scotland ecomomy is far more diverse than just oil.
Take whisky for example
“We won’t back your whisky if you break away,’ Hague tells Scotland
Scotland’s most famous export will be hit by a Foreign Office ban if the country breaks away from the UK, says William Hague.
The Foreign Secretary says Britain’s 140 embassies and high commissions will stop promoting whisky and other products if Scotland becomes independent.
Many UK diplomatic missions help to promote whisky for free. Last year, whisky exports earned Scotland £3billion, equal to £125 a second and more than 20 per cent up on 2010”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090020/William-Hague-tells-Scotland-We-wont-whisky-break-away.html#ixzz2RCX93Lj5
It seems Hauge, whilst being vague was either telling a lie, or he’s just useless, I’ll let you all decide.
“The Daily Mail’s story that Scotland would have to start paying for promotion of whisky in UK embassies in the case of independence appears to have backfired, as it was revealed it already does.
The newspaper reported Foreign Secretary William Hague as saying that currently promotion of Scotland’s most famous export was done for free at the country’s 140 overseas missions, but this would end if Scots voted for separation from the UK in 2014.
In the Scottish Parliament, however, First Minister Alex Salmond revealed that the Scottish overseas investment body Scottish Development International is already charged for such events.
In a reply to the SNP’s John Finnie, Mr Salmond said: “When Scottish Development International holds receptions that promote whisky in our international embassies, we are charged up to £3,000 a time for the privilege, but when UK Trade and Investment holds receptions, it is charged nothing at all.”
NewsnetScotland.com reported Mr Finnie as later praising the whisky industry while criticising Mr Hague’s comments.
“Despite the £3,000 charge by UK embassies to host receptions promoting Scotch whisky, it remains Scotland’s most iconic product and Mr Hague should be ashamed of his petty and inaccurate scare-mongering,” he said.
“Worldwide whisky exports reached £3.54billion in 2010. It is simply one of our finest exports that are appreciated globally.”
http://www.whisky-drinker.com/2012/01/28/whisky-industry-already-paying-for-embassy-support/
Permalink
James Mitchell: Rebalancing economy begins in London
Published Date: 29 May 2010
I MUST admit, my initial response to David Cameron’s speech was that it was all really what we were expecting.
It reflected a lot of what he was saying during the election campaign, when he argued that certain parts of the country rely too heavily on the state.
It is also the case that he clearly needs to deal with the fiscal deficit, and when you add all
that up it is not surprising that he is looking to shift the focus from the public to the private sector.
The one issue we in Scotland should look closely at is when he spoke about rebalancing the economy, so that there is less reliance on London and the south-east – well, that works both ways.
London has to come to terms with the fact that it is the most subsidised part of the UK. If David Cameron is going to look at the public sector, he has to start with London.
The Olympic Games is a classic example. It is presented as a UK-wide project with UK-wide benefits, when what it is really doing is regenerating the east end of London.
Now that’s not a bad thing, and it’s fine if they want to do that, but let’s do it honestly and across the board.
The state still has major responsibilities that it cannot walk away from. For instance, it has responsibility for creating infrastructure, which is badly needed for businesses.
Up here we have the Forth Road Bridge, which is vital for the economy and which needs state support.
This is an area which highlights the fact that the whole issue of borrowing powers for the Scottish Parliament has to be sorted out. David Cameron has got to deliver borrowing powers for Scotland, that is the bare minimum.
If Scotland was able to borrow money itself and fund major capital projects, such as a new Forth crossing, that would be a much better way of addressing issues in regard to infrastructure.
Let’s not forget, these projects are designed to keep the economy going; it’s a form of economic investment and only the state can do that.
Sometimes we have to spend money in order to save, and invest in order to get a return. We must be very careful that we don’t choke off the economy through cutbacks
We need to be very wary of the demands that certain parts of the estate should see spending cuts, when heavy subsidies are going elsewhere.
There was a very interesting debate during the election campaign when Jeremy Paxman was trying to grill a Plaid Cymru economic adviser. He was suggesting that Wales was heavily subsidised, and the adviser turned round and said that London is the most subsidised part of the country.
OK, Mr Cameron, if you want to push this agenda, then push it to its logical conclusion, and stand up to the over-subsidising of London.
• James Mitchell is a professor of politics at Strathclyde University.
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/James-Mitchell-Rebalancing-economy-begins.6328456.jp#5264849
Permalink
What worries me is the sheer arrogance of the SNP as if nobody else had a say.
In the referendum:-
Remember:-We will keep the Pound.
Remember:-We will remain in the EU
Remember:- Scotland will live on the proceeds of oil .
When the experts in these matters told them that these things were impossible, the non experts in the SNP told that they were lying or scaremongering.In other words the SNP knew better than the people who had worked in those offices and political circumstances for all of the working life.
Now they tell us that less than 5% of the electorate of the UK is going to dictate what the other 95% is going to do is yet another SNP fairy story. How does Nicoloa Sturgeon imagine that the rUK electorate will react if her fantasy came to become a reality. Personally I couldn’t care less about what goes on in the SNP, but try to impose its unelected twisted near communist doctrine on the rUK and I think it will lead to a backlash
Unfortunately this is probably what she wants and then she will call for another referendum. Hopefully rUK will beat her to it and call a referendum of its own !
As a footnote whilst many of the old communist countries have voted for capitalism, Scotland stands alone in the Western world as the only country likely to vote in a near communist party in a long long time
Permalink
Please let the all the Scots live in Scotland under their own governance because this will allow the rUK to live in peace and prosperity. It is indeed a fact that most Scottish people have a well developed victim mentality and they need their independence to help them grow up and mature. No doubt blaming the EU for all their woes when the can’t blame it all on the UK.