That is a winning line.
Speaking on BBC Scotland’s Debate Night, last Wednesday, Andrew Wilson, not everyone’s favourite economy adviser to Nicola, did punch home a really clear response to doubters:
- “If Scotland becomes independent in the next year – it won’t but let’s say it did – it would be the richest country ever to become an independent country.
- “Scotland’s taxation that it raises itself is enough to pay for all of the Scottish Government’s policy responsibilities, plus all of social security and all of pensions – absent Covid, in a normal year.”
- “Right now is a great time to do the transition … It will not be simple. It will be hard work. But it will be worth it.
- “The alternative is carrying on the way we are now. If you believe the critics we are subsidised. Is living off handouts a life? Is that the sum of our ambition as a country? No it isn’t.”
- “The UK model prioritises growth in the south east and transfers cash, the argument goes, to the regions and nations. That’s why Boris Johnson says we’ve got to level up. The best way to level up is to give people the power to look after themselves and make choices for themselves.”
That last one should appeal to Tories.
I like what he said and it has great clarity and oomph about it but I do still share, Leah Gunn Barrett’s thoughts:
For him to have any credibility, he needs to renounce the Growth Commission report and get on board with a Scottish currency and central bank as soon as possible. And he needs to tell Nicola as she doesn’t seem to listen to anyone but him.
Talking-up Scotland / Scottish media fact checking is like shooting fish in a barrel 
Wouldn’t argue against the ultimate point at all, but what infuriated me most was the BBC knee-jerk response “But right now our deficit….”.
This attempted deflection and distraction to what Wilson was setting out is a regular feature of such discussions, and it really should be shut down immediately:
SG cannot by Law have a deficit in it’s current circumstance.
What actual deficit arises once independent will be be dealt with as by any competent government.
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Yes the fact that Scotland is banned from borrowing a penny, any so called debt as we know, is part of the English governments’ debt, and they attribute more to Scotland than is spent on Scotland, as per usual with everything else. Take Scotland’s huge resources and revenues, send a few crumbs back, tell the people of Scotland they have a huge debt and couldn’t possibly manage without the generosity of England, ha ha, and on and on it goes. Wake up sift no voters, you are being scammed by the English government.
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Soft no voters, even.
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There’s no such thing as government debt.
Governments cannot borrow in their own currency.
What is called “debt” is private savings at the central bank (BOE).
I emailed the BOE & offered to take all their “debt” off them, by which I meant I’d take all the private sector deposits off them seeing as how it causes such hand wringing.
Strangely they rejected my kind offer.
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I watched the debate and at last the Yes
Appear to be well prepared for such TV
programmes
It was so obvious that A.Wilson,s opening gambit was
1.Well thought out
2.probably complied with input from communication experts
3.Approved by higher authority for stating
4.Carefully constructed to completely out manoeuvre any effective counter attatck
Such demonstrates we are beginning to wake up to the loaded responses of the
MSM and their contibutors
Tis they that have to go away and think again as to what if any credible tactics they now deploy as they try to thwart
Such clever and well presented statements of reality and facts
In military terms is was a brilliant move that completely caught our enemy completely off guard and has them reeling
The trick for us now to repeat but with a double whammy
That serves notice upon them that you have a fight to the death to keep your preciousssss union on your hands NOW
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There are both short and long explanations of debt and deficit by Richard Murphy and multiple others, it is not the figment of imagination I was getting at but the knee-jerk response, the “Scots-but” effect.
Review that exchange again and spot when the EU “fiscal” deficit was introduced and by whom, it was HMS Sarah Smith. Then figure out why a purportedly intelligent journalist would intercede with it as response to the context of discussion, his earpiece must have been melting under the screams from the propogandists, whilst guest editor Nick Robinson in a skirt “said nothing”.
Wilson didn’t bat an eyelid nor did he slam dunk it either, he would have become persona not grata had he done so, so fair play to him venturing into the establishment minefield.
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Mr Wilson only got asked on to Debate Night to be an Aunt Sally for the BritNat “Independence Austerity Narrative”.
Having fought his corner, and more, he wont be asked back, that’s for sure!
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