From the Herald’s Tom Gordon:
SCOTLAND has recorded a double-digit deficit for the second year in a row despite a sharp rebound in tax receipts as the economy emerged from lockdown. The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report showed the difference between public spending and tax revenue last year was £23.7 billion, equivalent to roughly an eighth of the economy, and double the UK deficit in percentage terms.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/20722872.gers-report-scotlands-notional-deficit-twice-uk-level-despite-jump-tax-revenues/
If you believe the politically-motivated, largely estimated GERS data are meaningful, isn’t a near halving of the imagined deficit worthy of a more positive headline like this from Bloomberg?
Of course, it’s just a game to keep some of us anxious about breaking away from the utterly dysfunctional UK. Why are the GERS figures as real as that awful forced caesarean on House of Dragon? See this from last year:
Talking-up Scotland 
Well , if Scotland is running a deficit at twice the level of the UK’s then the practical move for the UK Government would be to ditch Scotland .
Independence for rUK and the ”sunlit uplands of Brexit await !”
LikeLiked by 2 people
The Herald should have gone with a headline on Scotland’s geographical share of North Sea oil and gas revenue increasing to £3.5bn, from £0.8bn last year.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is funny that the media never ask this question of unionist politicians when they are ‘slamming’ Scotland for the GERS deficit: “Would it not be better if England declared UDI from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales?”
or:
“Bodger Broon keeps talking of ‘pooling and sharing’, why should England ‘pool’ and the whingeing Celts ‘share?”
LikeLike
Isn’t t Scotland banned by the English government from borrowing, so there can be no deficit. Hasn’t this myth of Scotland being in massive debt been debunked every year since England’s GERS, Scotland is conned and scammed, quite an achievement of the English government but then they are experts at that.
LikeLike
The absolute Westminster lies putting things on the Scottish Gov Accounts. That no one in Scotland wants or needs. Then Scotland not having the revenues for what Scotland needs and wants. Absolute cheating lying. Kept secret under the Official Secrets Act. Iraq, Dunblane and Lockerbie kept secret 100 years. Westminster Treasury absolute lies.
Download. Whole UK Gov Accounts 2019/2020. Published June 2020. Internet. The discrepancy plain to see. In every sector. Lies, cheating and corruption in plain sight. In every aspect of public life. Especially in the case of Scotland. These Account would not achieve basic accounting rules. Compare to Scottish Government Accounts. To find the discrepancies. Plain to see.
Scotland would have no deficit without Westminster poor, bad management of the UK/Scotland economy. Scotland would have increased revenues and resources without Westminster colossal interference and bad, poor policies. Illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. ie Westminster Gov policies. Scotland outvoted 10 to 1 at Westminster pays a higher price.
Scotland in surplus in fuel and energy pays more despite being nearer the source. Scotland paying back loan repayments on monies not borrowed or spent in Scotland. Scotland paying for Trident and redundant weaponry. Scotland funds paying for London S/E. No benefit to Scotland. Scotland losing £Billions because of Brexit. Scotland cannot borrow to pay for growth. Self benefit. Etc, etc. Never ending. Scottish Oil sector not being taxed enough when price and profits are higher.
LikeLike
Scotland raises more revenues and resources pro rata. That is why Scotland can have higher public spending. It would be even better without Westminster colossal interference and wast.
The services in the south have been privatised off so are not in the equation, despite being funded by public money. Another confidence trick, Not comparing like with like. The Westminster Gov fraud and deceit.
There Accounts are for pandemic times. Not the norm but unique. Not representational. Even more Westminster borrowing and spending in the South. Deliberate confusion. No documented properly.
LikeLike