By Liz S
I also saw on the BBC website today under their ‘Scottish’ page , the front page headlines of the newspapers where it included:
The most certainly not ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail front page:
“We really are better together”
“Being part of the Union worth record “2.7k to every Scot”.
“Known as the Union dividend”.
First of all this is not a Union that Scotland is a part of.
Second of all , the English gutter press constantly promoting that the UK somehow benefits Scots more than other citizens living elsewhere within the UK, is completely and also conveniently ignoring what Scotland contributes to their UK State .
For example the fact that “Scottish Whisky accounts for almost 1/4 of all UK Food & drinks exports” according to the HMRC Foreign Office.
Then of course Scotland being a major exporter of electricity to England.
Scottish North Sea oil and gas production has generated billions in historical tax revenue for the UK Exchequer.
Also it was reported in 2026 that a recent study by economists at the University of Bath & Warwick found that:
“Brexit is costing Scotland almost £30 billion a year, making Scotland the most economically damaged of all of the UK’s devolved nations“.
The same Scotland that, in 2016, saw every Scottish region vote Remain in the EU Referendum, “Scotland voted 62% Remain across all 32 Council areas” .
This was a EU Referendum instigated by a UK Tory government, who then , as a Tory UK government, completely messed up after the vote for Leave was won , which they said was won via a supposed UK wide vote.
(The Times also has a propaganda front page headline today that states “Scotland’s record Union dividend” – and the very much not Scottish Daily Express front page headline states “£25 billion black hole kills off SNP’s UK split dream”).
Honestly the UK (English) media must think we are all daft up here (yes I know some are, either intentionally or otherwise) as GERS does not represent a reality for a future independent Scotland.
Indeed this site had an article on GERS that stated that GERS “estimates total public-sector revenue attributable to Scotland and the cost of public services provided for Scotland (using actual data for devolved spending and allocations/estimates for much reserved UK spending, such as defence and debt interest).
Also why it is always presented by the English media on how Scotland is the one that benefits most within the UK State , but no similar analysis is done and so then promoted as to how England benefits via their UK State ?
(The clue to why that is, is to be found within that Q).
This pantomime on GERS is a an annual event as promoted by all opponents of Scottish independence.
It was reported yesterday that “Anti-independence politicians and the media presented a completely distorted view of Scotland’s wealth in today’s GERS figures – DESPITE a prior warning from a respected institution”.
Yet that same UK (English) media ignores the fact that we Scots must also be expected to constantly endure:
Various UK government’s austerity policies.
The UK high cost of living
UK Brexit
The various UK government’s deliberate deindustrialisation of Scotland.
The various UK governments undermining of devolution in them stealing devolved powers away from devolved governments since their catastrophic Brexit was ‘won’ by Leave.
We are also forced to endure the continuous various UK governments betrayals and lies that are apparently never to be taken into account by us the people living within Scotland , nor indeed are they, as betrayals and lies, ever to be (over) publicised by the same English media that tells us all that we, Scots, are better together via Scotland benefitting (supposedly more) from a so called but clearly not ‘Union dividend’.
Of course the BBC also has an article on this , that surprise surprise is open to comments – with some absolute roasters adding comments (basically the same old same old tired arguments- #ScotlandIs Sh*te and #SNPBAD – while apparently deluding themselves into believing that the UK is apparently #OK – maybe they all live in a parallel Universe – surely they must do Ha Ha).
The UK State is not and has not ever been OK for Scotland – that’s the whole point that we make on here and also elsewhere on other Indy social media, hence why we support Scottish independence Duh !
Liz S
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Their claims about government spending and how much Scotland benefits ignores how much of that spending never goes anywhere near Scotland, but is actually spent by the UK government elsewhere. That generosity includes, as just one example but a large one, £5.2 billion of notional UK military spending that is Scotland’s share and supposedly goes into the pockets of Scots. No. It doesnt.
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To expand slightly, unionists will defend that figure by pointing out that 2.1 billion annually is spent with defence industry firms and businesses located in Scotland. To which the reply is that the facilities are located in Scotland, but they are international corporations and little if any of the profits and *none* of the taxes those corporations pay remain in Scotland, so Scotland is still paying for something from which it does not receive any gain. But what about the employees, one might ask. Those benefit Scotland. Anyone who thinks that the salaries of perhaps? (I question the accuracy of the published figure) 11,000 employees in those industries, industry averages would estimate that at about £500 million annually, makes up for a spend of £5.2 billion is delusional.
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Most of the employees will be from outwith Scotland that is absolutely for sure (same re oil industry) and they don’t spend their wages/£’s in Scotland and are not paying tax in Scotland..so, Scotland you lose lose lose.
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England needs to get rid of these money grabbing Scot’s who are bleeding the country dry…….so why don’t the English media start talking about English independence— we all know why but does the average English person have a clue?
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Kevin Hague has had a lot to say on the recent released GERS figures via his ‘X account , that is in him discrediting anyone who argues that it is not an honest reflection on the reality of Scotland’s finances as a future independent country.
Indeed in respect to Richard Murphy arguing that “”Scotland is deliberately having costs dumped on it be Westminster in a way that is entirely unreasonable”
Hague’s response to that was this:
“a quick watch and i counted at least 8 massive factual errors and/or idiotic statements – is it worth me writing them up or does this just increase the influence of this gibbering idiot“?
However in 2017 , when pressed , on BBC Radio Scotland Kevin Hague conceded that:
“GERS can’t tell us what an independent Scotland would look like. That is of course absolutely true“.
Now it seems Hague resorts to name calling as “When the debate is lost, insults become the loser’s tool“.
I think the 2026 Kevin Hague should remember what the 2017 Kevin Hague once said about GERS and an independent Scotland, though as he obviously does not (deliberately) want to recall what he said back then, well I thought that I would.
Perhaps he could do more graphs , though I read a quote about misleading data that stated “Figures don’t lie, but liars figure” in respect to “graphs can show anything you want (them to show)”.
Also pertinent is this quote for individuals like Kevin:
“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”.
All of course dependent on who is presenting the figures , graphs and statistics.
Like for example someone who once conceded in the past that their usual and current ongoing argument on GERS figures relating to Scotland was flawed , as it did not represent or reflect what an independent Scotland “would look like” ((i.e. their usual and current ongoing argument being that Scotland was an economic and financial basket case).
Hague is another one whose arguments against Scottish independence are hugely compromised by his very public opposition to Scottish independence.
So then his futile efforts to try to try to stop Scottish independence happening , are for him and others like him, a total waste of his and their time, as one cannot stop that which is inevitable (that is eventually).
Also the quote from the 2017 Hauge and the opposing arguments (quotes) from the 2026 Hague exemplify that he is yet another one caught out by his own duplicity.
Liz S
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Never trust a dog-food salesman Liz.
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“Never trust a dog-food salesman Liz”.
Indeed.
He thinks he can winalot of the arguments that he makes on behalf of his UK State.
However he clearly lacks the pedigree to make a good argument.
I think he is barking mad if he thinks the support for Scottish independence will ever go away, also kind of sick of the likes of him constantly whining.
Frankly he is howling at the moon if he also thinks that he will convince and convert more people to supporting his UK State, as for Scotland, since 2014 , it has been a nightmare living under what has been a domineering, aggressive and very much hostile British Bull dog (State).
Liz S
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It was reported, three days ago, by The National that “the UK government withholds files on Israeli firm meddling in Scottish elections”.
The key here is obviously the fact that is was a “Israeli firm” .
Now had it been a Russian firm, well the contents of these files would be released and it would be all over the media (24/7).
However if you type “UK government withholds files on Israeli firm meddling in Scottish elections” in your online search engine then you may see what I saw and that was that , as a story , there are certain media outlets who do not want to publicise this obvious suppression of information by the Labour UK government.
So let me get this straight – apparently the Scottish government are being “naïve” in not supposedly recognising the “security threat and risks” via Chinese investments in Scotland, but simultaneously they are also not to seek clarity and intel on what was reported as an Israeli firm meddling in the recent Scottish election.
As in it is to be filed , as a serious incident, under being ‘no security threat or risk’ to Scottish politics or rather to the SNP.
In June the BBC did an article on their website in their Scottish Politics page that stated :
“Israeli tech firm accused of targeting First Minister in election”
However within that text of that BBC article everything was referred to as being just “claims” and as “alleged” , yet the same BBC has failed to do a follow up article on the suppression of the files by the UK government in relation to this “Israeli firm meddling in Scottish elections” , which then would surely verify whether these were indeed mere claims and allegations sourced originally from the French authorities.
I mean I thought the BBC Verify existed to verify news , that is whether news was fake or real .
Not for you Scotland, or so it seems.
BTW the suppression of these files by Labour is not to seek to protect Scotland , the SNP or our Scottish politics , but instead I am sure it is only , once again, to try to protect Israel.
Liz S
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