Tag: economics

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If you’re one of the highest-earning 25% ‘pulled’ into higher tax bands you’re not ‘middle-class’, by definition

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The Herald today on behalf of the people, based on opinion polls, already predisposed to vote Labour, in the hope of cutting their taxes and the benefits of others (classic Labour these days), has: Middle-class Scots pulled into higher tax bands by Budget freeze There’s a long history of people in the UK calling themselves ‘middle-class’ when their economic circumstances are far from the middle in any objective sense. Just because sociologists recognise your cultural preferences to be ‘middle class’ doesn’t mean that entitles you to only pay income tax at the same level of people in the middle income … Continue reading If you’re one of the highest-earning 25% ‘pulled’ into higher tax bands you’re not ‘middle-class’, by definition

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12 000 babies to benefit from increase to £40 per week in SNP child benefit already praised widely across UK and Europe

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From Scottish Budget 2026 to 2027, published today: We will uprate the SCP in line with inflation to £28.20 per week per child. We will also begin the necessary work in 2026‑27 to introduce a new SCP Premium for under ones in 2027‑28. This will result in a total payment of £40 per week in respect of every child in the household under one. The additional payment is estimated to benefit the families of around 12,000 children. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2026-2027/pages/2/ This has been reported widely but in no case, to my knowledge, has it been linked to these numbers. Also, important context into which to set … Continue reading 12 000 babies to benefit from increase to £40 per week in SNP child benefit already praised widely across UK and Europe

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‘Journalism fiasco’ – Islanders have actually been treated far better than the rest of us by this SNP government but the Herald still uses them to support the Labour campaign

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Another ferry ‘fiasco report’ (placing the ‘ there makes it clear that the reporting is a fiasco in journalism) today. The facts hidden every time they write this rancid garbage: There’s a very significant background story never told of just how much this SNP Government has done to transform life on the islands, funded by the rest of us living often in less pleasant places and with never the suggestion of compensation because of limited public transport services. Here it is: The above chart from the Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff [RET] on the Clyde and Hebridean Network Prepared for Transport … Continue reading ‘Journalism fiasco’ – Islanders have actually been treated far better than the rest of us by this SNP government but the Herald still uses them to support the Labour campaign

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How could I have missed this research saying explicitly that ‘things are easier for Scottish families relative to English families’ because of SNP Child Payment, when we pay for a national news service?

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Professor John Robertson OBA I seem to have missed the above very significant research from the London School of Economics. You’d think our media, especially BBC Scotland which we all pay for would have been all over it. There was media coverage in Scotland though it and the UK coverage tended to go for the secondary finding: Ministers and others have expressed concern that this ‘cliff edge’ could act as a disincentive to parents to increase their earnings, and that any boost to the value of the payment would increase the disincentive. However, the researchers find no evidence to suggest … Continue reading How could I have missed this research saying explicitly that ‘things are easier for Scottish families relative to English families’ because of SNP Child Payment, when we pay for a national news service?

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The Nuclear Regulated Asset Base Levy means Scots will pay ‘nuclear tax’ for nuclear energy consumed in England

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Professor John Robertson OBA You’ll have seen headlines like – ‘SNP has slammed Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar for his silence on Westminster’s “nuclear tax”, which could see Scottish households paying out a total of £300 million over the next decade to fund nuclear projects in England.’ Labour MPs and MSPs are already programmed to deny it and to demonise any who suggest it is true. It is true. The UK Government explicitly plans to fund new nuclear power station building, such as Sizewell C in Suffolk, via the RAB levy.1 What is the RAB levy? It’s a UK-wide charge … Continue reading The Nuclear Regulated Asset Base Levy means Scots will pay ‘nuclear tax’ for nuclear energy consumed in England

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How we have paid tens of millions for fourteen years to transform the lives and the economies of islanders only to have a small entitled business elite platformed by media to hide it

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Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland, today, in their BBC Breakfast TV insert but not on their website so just another report feed to the Pacific Quay team of a no news-value story on supposed hardship for island businesses. What’s the problem with it? There’s a very significant background story never told of just how much this SNP Government has done to transform life on the islands, funded by the rest of us living often in less pleasant places and with never the suggestion of compensation because of limited public transport services. Here it is: The above chart from the Evaluation … Continue reading How we have paid tens of millions for fourteen years to transform the lives and the economies of islanders only to have a small entitled business elite platformed by media to hide it

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Scotland has more graduates, more patents and more business investment than other parts of the UK

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Business investment rises to 20-year high in Scotland published yesterday: A new report has shown that business investment in Scotland has risen to a 20-year high – in contrast to a fall across the UK. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes today helped to launch the annual CBI–Addleshaw Goddard Scottish Productivity Index, showing a rise in business investment to more than 10% of GDP for the first time in 20 years. The Index confirms Scotland leads the UK in higher-level qualifications with 53.7% of the working-age population educated to this level. It also highlights key progress … Continue reading Scotland has more graduates, more patents and more business investment than other parts of the UK

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Only couples earning £76 000 or more would be better off under Labour according to Anas Sarwar

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Daily Record yesterday: Anas Sarwar has insisted many households are £5000 better off since Labour came to power and demanded Keir Starmer “tell that positive story”. “So if you are a full time working couple on the average income with a mortgage you could be £5000 better off under a Labour government.” So, you need a mortgage to deserve help from Labour? That’s around 29% only with a mortgage, 63% whose parents already own their home.1 In the old days, the other 27% were core Labour voters. Average income in Scotland? The median is £38k2, £76k … Continue reading Only couples earning £76 000 or more would be better off under Labour according to Anas Sarwar

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Are GERS figures for Scotland a measure of its economy after say 20 years of independence? No and here’s why, says AI analysis in support of an angry Pict

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details Professor John Robertson OBA From Grok with the above question in the headline: No, the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) figures are not a measure of Scotland’s economy after 20 years of independence. GERS provides an annual snapshot of Scotland’s public finances under the current constitutional arrangement as part of the UK, estimating revenue raised and public spending allocated to Scotland. It reflects the existing fiscal framework, where Westminster controls significant portions of revenue (around 70%) and spending (around 40%), including items like … Continue reading Are GERS figures for Scotland a measure of its economy after say 20 years of independence? No and here’s why, says AI analysis in support of an angry Pict

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The dark Brian Wilson allowed to challenge SNP universalism on winter fuel allowance in a typically under-educated manner

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Professor John Robertson OBA Brian ‘Bad Vibrations’ Wilson, former Minister under Tony Blair, is in the Herald today to claim: Winter fuel payment u-turn exposes flaws in SNP’s universalism Have I read it? No way? Do I need to read it? No way. I have the oven-ready, fully-researched, response from a think tank set up by that real socialist, the late Jimmy Reid. The facts, from the Jimmy Reid Foundation: In 2012, I read and was much impressed by their The Case for Universalism An assessment of the evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of the universal welfare state which made these telling … Continue reading The dark Brian Wilson allowed to challenge SNP universalism on winter fuel allowance in a typically under-educated manner