The Scotsman commonly conceals the political affiliations of their columnists:
John McLellan, Conservative
Gina Davidson, Labour
Biran Monteith, Brexit
Now, older readers will remember that Brian Wilson is New Labour but Murdo Fraser is only a list Conservative MSP, so maybe less well-known. Readers should know where the writer is ‘coming from’, so Fraser is a Tory but also Orange. It’s a free country but of interest I think when evaluating his writing.
Today he joins a few others given space by the Scotsman, the Herald and BBC Scotland to argue that it’s lucky we didn’t go solo back in 2014 or we’d be in even deeper poo now. It opens with:
The UK has sent £10 billion to help Scotland deal with Covid-19 but, like Oliver Twist, the SNP is asking for more despite its claims that Scotland can stand on its own two feet, writes Murdo Fraser.
No wheel need be reinvented. Here’s what I wrote only three days ago:
If we had left the Union by, say 2016, we’d have had several years of quite high oil prices and be using the Euro.
Far more important we’d only be watching with sadness the horrors that the Johnson regime is inflicting on the people of Rumpuk. Like the other small nations of Northern Europe, we’d have locked down weeks earlier and, crucially, we’d be controlling the flow of air travellers into Scotland.
Probably, after earlier private care home scandals, such as that in 2015, we’d have long since had a review leading to nationalisation and integration within the NHS.
Our own government departments would have developed their own trading links for PPE.
Free movement within the EU would have ensured no staff shortages in health or care services and our universities would have attracted some of the best medical researchers to help in this fight.
Here’s what two readers added:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Of course, Murdo has forgotten what banks are for. A Central Bank in an independent Scotland with its own currency, able to print money to meet any emergency. Also, an investment bank to encourage growth.
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/news/2018/feb/iipp-director-plays-key-role-launch-scotlands-new-public-investment-bank
“In this capacity, Professor Mazzucato advised First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the role that a new national investment bank could play in supporting the Scottish Government’s vision for smart and inclusive growth.
With this advice, in September 2017, the Scottish Government announced plans to establish a new Scottish National Investment Bank. Benny Higgins, CEO of Tesco Bank, was appointed to lead the work to develop an evidence-based implementation plan, and convened a small Advisory Group, which included Professor Mazzucato.”
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A little more on MMT from Richard Murphy.
he National newspaper in Scotland has returned to the subject of modern monetary theory, again. George Kerevan has commented on Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp’s article for the same paper last week, and my response, here. Kerevan says:
“ATTENTIVE readers will have noticed a war has broken out across print and social media, following a column in The National from Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp – founder of the Business for Scotland think tank – in which he attacked so-called Modern Monetary Theory, or MMT. For the uninitiated, MMT is basically the theory that governments which issue their own currency are able to fund any level of spending they desire, without having to worry about associated deficit.
If MMT is kosher then anybody – especially an indy Scotland – can eliminate austerity at the stroke of the finance secretary’s pen. MMT is supported by former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and English academic Richard Murphy, author of the Joy of Tax. Indeed, Murphy and MacIntyre-Kemp have gone head-to-head following Gordon’s article in The National.
There are, again, errors in here: the deficit does have to be worried about, but how it is managed is entirely different using MMT.
Kerevan does get the key point though:
Why does this debate matter? First, because it gets to the heart of any post-indy economic policy. Secondly, because it puts Andrew Wilson’s Growth Commission report in the firing line. The Growth Commission wants an independent Scotland to keep the pound sterling for an indefinite period.
But what is then interesting is he goes on to critique MMT from an interesting left of centre perspective that is well worth considering. I am head down in work right now – and am going to stick to my data rather than write more. But this is one worth reading.”
https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2019/01/07/mmt-and-scotland-again/
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Missing letters and askew apostrophes. Post in haste
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A wee point of clearance John. I would not describe Brian Wilson as: “New Labour.” I would say he has but two true affiliations – Celtic FC and Brian Wilson. Murdo is of course, one of “Ra Peepul.”
We are not dealing with intellectual giants here.
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BW was a minister under Blair so New Labour?
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The argument from the unionists is that the UK is better placed to borrow money because of it’s size and that an independent Scotland would not be able to do the same.
In part,it is only able to borrow on the cheap because of Scotland’s resources,without which it would struggle.
Whereas,a smaller Scottish economy would be well placed to borrow offset against the same finite resources.
However,it would be essential for us to have our own central bank,to be able to act independently of the Bank of England.
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*Sarcasm alert*
It’s entertaining, this:
<>
I’m a pensioner, been paying tax for six decades now. If I’d only realised the UK government was so beneficent, I might not have worked so hard and just let Westminster keep on pouring their money into Scotland.
Oh wait, maybe I’ve got that wrong…
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We also send billions down to central government from road tax, vat, land tax, business rates, fuel tax, income tax, corporation tax, inheritance tax, and the list goes on. That is why we cannot get independence, we would be the cash cow that got away from the butchers of Westmonster
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Have to agree with you John, Brian is fully paid up New Labour. New Labour, Thatcher’s greatest success; according to Thatcher. As an unconventional millionaire socialist he enjoys being an apologist for Blair’s gravest mistakes: finishing his mentor’s privatisation project and Iraq. As a demented anti indy, SNP hater Brian is wicked frothy entertainment. Bless.
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