1000 or 1400 Reasons For Our Politicians And Government
Officials To Show The Electorate Respect
We did say at the outset that on ScotlandSeptember18.com we
would not comment one way or another on support for a Yes or No
vote, merely present data, analysis and objectivity.
Today however with the Independence debate hitting a new low
our Founder, Sir Tom Hunter offers this commentary on today’s
outputs from both camps;
“The 28th of May was supposedly the day we the voter were to
gain clarity on the economic impact of independence in or out of
the Union, sadly that day is passing and we’ve had none of the
sort.
“What has been presented to us today is farcical (see analysis
below) and how any undecided voter could pick through the claims
and counter claims and make any sense of them is well beyond
me. We as voters have been disrespected.
“These are elected individuals who do Scotland and the UK a
disservice, this isn’t some decision we can reverse tomorrow it’s
the biggest decision in 307 years for Scotland.
“Yet our leading politicians, officials and Treasury boffins have it
that on the one hand we’re £ 1000 per individual better off
independent and £ 1400 better off staying put. If this was a
business and we left them to do the calculations we’d all be bust.
“I truly believed we could have an honest, decent debate with
integrity and answers for both the UK and Scottish citizens in order
that we all in this Union understood the impact of staying together
or separating – that clearly is not to be, based on today’s debacle.
“Both camps in my view need to step up their game and answer
the questions Scots need to make an informed decision – rhetoric,
threats and promises from both sides are no good unless they are
grounded in deep, unequivocal analysis that stands independent
scrutiny. The Treasury analysis on the costs of setting up an
independent Scotland borrow from Mickey Mouse, if this wasn’t so
serious it would be funny.
“For our own part we will provide a series of objective papers in
partnership with the David Hume Institute in early July assessing
the key questions you the voter have indicated you need answers
to.
“In the interim I believe our politicians and the public servants who
are arming them with their data should take a cold hard look in the
mirror and ask themselves am I serving democracy or obfuscating
it? Voters need facts, evidence and answers – it doesn’t do that
the Cabinet Secretary cant or wont answer the question how much
will independence cost…Its time for everyone to recalibrate this
debate.” Sir Tom Hunter am undecided Scot.
Today’s Update
The summary is in essence this – stay with the Union and you’ll be
£ 1400 better off; vote for independence and you net £ 1000 as an
individual with Scotland gaining a £ 5 billion windfall in 2029-30.
The evidence, should you care to read two markedly differing
assumptions on Scotland’s future are contained in the Scottish and
UK Government documents below.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0045/00451336.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachme
nt_data/file/314359/Scotland_analysis__Fiscal_policy_and_sustain
ability.pdf
On the costs of Scotland setting up on its own the HM Treasury
firstly included the figure of £ 2.7 billion then in a volte face
indicated that was an unofficial figure. You may ask why is a
Government Department issuing unofficial figures?
They then issued the number of £ 1.5 billion after the assumptions
they’d made on £ 2.7 billion were rounded upon by the economist
who they based the numbers on, Patrick Dunleavy. Mr. Dunleavy a
reputable LSE economist tweeted:
"UK Treasury press release on #Scotland costs of government
badly misrepresents LSE research."
HM Treasury then claimed the £ 1.5 billion was grounded in the
work of one Professor Robert Young of Quebec…Professor Young
took no time at all in telling the Financial Times that the estimate
was not his but an extrapolation from top end estimates from
academics researching the cost of Quebec separating from
Canada. (I believe we are talking about Scotland voting on
independence…)
You could not make this up. Meantime Cabinet Secretary John
Swinney of the Scottish Government was asked several times on
radio just how much it would cost to set up the machinery for an
independent Scotland; unedifyingly there was no answer
forthcoming.
To take a decision, I’m afraid we need answers…