According to the London Economic in March 2024, Scotland contributes £73.3 billion per year to the UK Treasury, a 24% increase in the last ten years of SNP leadership. Scotland now accounts to 8% of the total UK contributions, the same percentage as our population share.

So, that looks like we pay our way, contrary to what some commentators say about Scotland being subsidised by England. Unfortunately for us, we don’t get anything like that 8% back. According to research by the House of Commons Library, we only get 3.5% of the UK Government’s spending, back.

Where does the rest go? Well, we get to pay for the Royal Family (£86 million), the House of Lords (£104 million), the nuclear weapons we can’t actually use (£21 billion) and the renovations to the Houses of Parliament (£22 billion).

If that doesn’t bother you, we also get to pay ‘our’ share of the interest on the UK National Debt of £2.3 trillion, at £90 billion every year.

Why does the UK owe so much? For centuries, often to fund its invasions across the globe and to feed and clothe the huge population growth in the South, the UK has imported far more than it exported – spent more than it earned.

Except of course, Scotland has always exported more (ships back in the day, oil and gas more recently, food, drink and renewable energy now and, in the future no doubt, water) than it has imported. We spend less than we would earn, if we got to keep what we earned.

What’s the solution? Do I have to tell you? Full independence within the biggest market in the world – the EU.

Sources:

https://archive.is/gfbW2

https://www.thenational.scot/news/24164921.scotlands-block-grant-lowest-since-devolution—snp/