SNP and Greens coalition.

[Howdy Doody Jambo]

45 minutes ago, doctor jambo said:

Since 2008- 15 years ago I have seen nothing from any government north or south of the border apart from real term pay cuts year on year and tax rises. Every -single-year for the last 15 years I have become worse off.

Exactly 100%and this council tax is another shambles

what about the brown bin garden waste made up added tax for example another  

Every working man & women just works to put money into the government so they can pish it up a wall and reward themselves and the fat cat shareholders of big companies who influence the government's business strategy generating economy for themselves 

The Government's have turned it into a land of tax, green tax, climate emergency rammed down your throat tax cut backs, energy rip off tax, every thing we buy tax, every where we go tax etc etc 

 

[XB52]

2 hours ago, doctor jambo said:

Because they are all the same- all of them. Spend spend spend spend.

Free this and free that and free something else.

Its none of it free - and all the parties are complicit.

There SHOULD be a comprehensive spending review as to what the country can afford and what it cannot, and for whom.

With nothing off the table.

I could balance this countries books in 6 months .

Scotland balances the books every year, it's impossible not to as we get a defined bit of money to spend. 

I love how our unionists on here moan like hell about the state of our country like it's all because of independence, rather than because it's all because we aren't independent.

[Unknown user]

2 minutes ago, XB52 said:

I love how our unionists on here moan like hell about the state of our country like it's all because of independence, rather than because it's all because we aren't independent.

 

That blows my mind

[JudyJudyJudy]

😃

31 minutes ago, Smithee said:

 

That blows my mind

least one part of your body is getting blown !

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by JudyJudyJudy

[OTT]

11 hours ago, i wish jj was my dad said:

This might be a shite government but salmond ruled by fear and terrorised the people who worked for him. 

 

Have you got personal experience of that or just guessing? Like most people that operate at the top of their field, I've no doubt he was difficult to work for and expected a lot from his underlings, but isn't that true of most successful people? Turning the SNP from a fringe party into the dominant force in Scottish politics was no mean feat, and I'm sure some eggs were broken along the way. Ultimately, he ran a successful government that did extremely well with him at the helm, him being unpleasant is immaterial to me. 

 

You look at the SNP now and there is no discipline within their ranks. Sturgeon is off on side projects like the GRA, Blackford was ousted by his own MPs and there is open criticism from MPs around Sturgeons alleged strategy to achieve independence (Stewart MacDonald trying to get her to slow down further ). 

[Unknown user]

11 minutes ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

😃

least one part of your body is getting blown !

 

All I'm saying is the 3 greatest words in the English language are ethical non monogamy!

[Nucky Thompson]

47 minutes ago, XB52 said:

Scotland balances the books every year, it's impossible not to as we get a defined bit of money to spend. 

I love how our unionists on here moan like hell about the state of our country like it's all because of independence, rather than because it's all because we aren't independent.

I can't talk for anyone else, but imo the country is in a state because the SNP and their wee puppets are clueless 

[BlueRiver]

1 hour ago, XB52 said:

Scotland balances the books every year, it's impossible not to as we get a defined bit of money to spend. 

I love how our unionists on here moan like hell about the state of our country like it's all because of independence, rather than because it's all because we aren't independent.

 

£100m overspend this year that Swinney is trying to resolve. 

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

36 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

Have you got personal experience of that or just guessing? Like most people that operate at the top of their field, I've no doubt he was difficult to work for and expected a lot from his underlings, but isn't that true of most successful people? Turning the SNP from a fringe party into the dominant force in Scottish politics was no mean feat, and I'm sure some eggs were broken along the way. Ultimately, he ran a successful government that did extremely well with him at the helm, him being unpleasant is immaterial to me. 

 

You look at the SNP now and there is no discipline within their ranks. Sturgeon is off on side projects like the GRA, Blackford was ousted by his own MPs and there is open criticism from MPs around Sturgeons alleged strategy to achieve independence (Stewart MacDonald trying to get her to slow down further ). 

Salmond looks ever more like an alkie toad. A proper state he is. Meanwhile, ned-mode is finally catching up with lightweight sturgeon. 

[XB52]

48 minutes ago, BlueRiver said:

 

£100m overspend this year that Swinney is trying to resolve. 

Under the current devolution settlement, the Scottish Government is not permitted to overspend its budget.

As your post says, the SG has to cut £100m of spending so as not to overspend. Meanwhile, Westminster just prints money to give billons to their donor pals

[Mikey1874]

5 hours ago, Smithee said:

 

Everything that you've seen over the last 15 years has happened under Westminster rule, that's a fact. They tanked the economy, they enforced ideological austerity, they set the budget Scotland can spend.

 

Some have a curious habit of pointing at things and going "See? Independence!" 

 

No, it's the Westminster government. Scotland isn't independent.

 

If Sturgeon's to blame, how come Wales is ****ed too?

 

The dream that Scotland is suddenly immediately richer independent and can spend more money on everything.

 

Not seen that plan explained.

[Roxy Hearts]

16 minutes ago, XB52 said:

Under the current devolution settlement, the Scottish Government is not permitted to overspend its budget.

As your post says, the SG has to cut £100m of spending so as not to overspend. Meanwhile, Westminster just prints money to give billons to their donor pals

I don't consider anything the Scottish Government overspends. It's our money that the skint Westminster just rob! Swinney should just tell them to give more of our money back or tell them to use quantative easing! 

 

What's Westminster's budget, where's England's devolution and budget? UK is an absolute joke of a place in political terms. Governed by liars, fraudsters, crooks and idiots. There's a lack of humanity and humility. How can any Scot think we're best governed by that lot instead of choosing our own governments is beyond ridiculous.

[Roxy Hearts]

2 minutes ago, Mikey1874 said:

 

The dream that Scotland is suddenly immediately richer independent and can spend more money on everything.

 

Not seen that plan explained.

It's about choosing what we want to spend our money on. I couldn't care less if I pay more tax or gain more wealth if independent. I've recently  lost plenty through Westminster's scorched earth policies and will continue to do so. Scotland hasn't benefitted. 

[doctor jambo]

2 hours ago, XB52 said:

Scotland balances the books every year, it's impossible not to as we get a defined bit of money to spend. 

I love how our unionists on here moan like hell about the state of our country like it's all because of independence, rather than because it's all because we aren't independent.

Is that why they keep hiking income tax- because they balance the books?

Is that why we are the most heavily taxed part of the UK?

Because they don’t waste vast amounts of money then claw it back if everyone who works?

[manaliveits105]

1 hour ago, Nucky Thompson said:

I can't talk for anyone else, but imo the country is in a state because the SNP and their wee puppets are clueless 

FACT 

[jambomjm74]

14 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

It's about choosing what we want to spend our money on. I couldn't care less if I pay more tax or gain more wealth if independent. I've recently  lost plenty through Westminster's scorched earth policies and will continue to do so. Scotland hasn't benefitted. 

So you couldn’t care less if Scotland was financially better off, just that decisions should be made locally.

Could local govt be more effective, possibly but surely if you want to spend more you need to at some point afford it .. or you get forced into austerity. 
I’m therefore assuming you a) wouldn’t be looking to transfer power to Brussels or b) be willing to be constrained by EU govt spending regulations if you do support membership of the EU.  

[Roxy Hearts]

Just now, jambomjm74 said:

So you couldn’t care less if Scotland was financially better off, just that decisions should be made locally.

Could local govt be more effective, possibly but surely if you want to spend more you need to at some point afford it .. or you get forced into austerity. 
I’m therefore assuming you a) wouldn’t be looking to transfer power to Brussels or b) be willing to be constrained by EU govt spending regulations if you do support membership of the EU.  

WTF are you on about? 

[jambomjm74]

1 minute ago, Roxy Hearts said:

WTF are you on about? 

I’m assuming you can read. 

[Japan Jambo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64609542

 

almost daily at the moment...

[Roxy Hearts]

14 minutes ago, jambomjm74 said:

I’m assuming you can read. 

I was thinking the same about you!

[doctor jambo]

57 minutes ago, XB52 said:

Under the current devolution settlement, the Scottish Government is not permitted to overspend its budget.

As your post says, the SG has to cut £100m of spending so as not to overspend. Meanwhile, Westminster just prints money to give billons to their donor pals

Scotland runs a huge deficit that is covered by UK borrowing .

So no, it doesn’t even ccome close to balancing the books.

 

[Roxy Hearts]

8 minutes ago, Japan Jambo said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64609542

 

almost daily at the moment...

Ferries again!

[Roxy Hearts]

Just now, doctor jambo said:

Scotland runs a huge deficit that is covered by UK borrowing .

So no, it doesn’t even ccome close to balancing the books.

 

What deficit? How much responsibility do we have and how do we mitigate against it if we have one?

[jambomjm74]

4 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

I was thinking the same about you!

Ha ha. 
My points were fairly clear, but never mind. 

[doctor jambo]

Just now, Roxy Hearts said:

What deficit? How much responsibility do we have and how do we mitigate against it if we have one?

We are given more than we generate , we are not unique in that, but to claim that SNP are not spending every last single button , then raising taxes to spend even more money, then overspending , then claiming fiscal responsibility is, frankly, laughable .

[Unknown user]

2 minutes ago, doctor jambo said:

We are given more than we generate

 

Nope

[BlueRiver]

3 minutes ago, Smithee said:

 

Nope

 

We spend more money than we raise in tax receipts in Scotland. Burying your head in the sand about it isn't an argument. 

[JudyJudyJudy]

2 hours ago, Nucky Thompson said:

I can't talk for anyone else, but imo the country is in a state because the SNP and their wee puppets are clueless 

Agreed 

[BlueRiver]

1 hour ago, XB52 said:

Under the current devolution settlement, the Scottish Government is not permitted to overspend its budget.

As your post says, the SG has to cut £100m of spending so as not to overspend. Meanwhile, Westminster just prints money to give billons to their donor pals

 

Aye that's fair I should've said there's still time on the table for it to be resolved. Mea culpa. 

[doctor jambo]

6 minutes ago, Smithee said:

 

Nope

We are though - it’s a bit of a fact

[jambomjm74]

1 minute ago, doctor jambo said:

We are though - it’s a bit of a fact

Don’t throw facts into a debate vs idealism …

[Unknown user]

3 minutes ago, doctor jambo said:

We are though - it’s a bit of a fact

Bollocks it is, as you know fine the figures don't include all the things that are just absorbed into the UK.

 

The only in the round figures that have ever been made public, from 1938 IIRC, showed Scotland bringing a significant surplus.

 

You think England pays our way, their elite want to keep us, because of some ideal? 😆 

[il Duce McTarkin]

35 minutes ago, jambomjm74 said:

I’m assuming you can read. 

 

An assumption too far.

 

[Roxy Hearts]

14 minutes ago, doctor jambo said:

We are given more than we generate , we are not unique in that, but to claim that SNP are not spending every last single button , then raising taxes to spend even more money, then overspending , then claiming fiscal responsibility is, frankly, laughable .

Where is it categorically stated that we're given more than we generate? Westminster won't tell how much Scotland contributes and if we're skint why have a propaganda war against us?

[doctor jambo]

1 minute ago, Smithee said:

Bollocks it is, as you know fine the figures don't include all the things that are just absorbed into the UK.

 

The only in the round figures that have ever been made public, from 1938 IIRC, showed Scotland bringing a significant surplus.

 

You think England pays our way, their elite want to keep us, because of some ideal? 😆 

Not really , same as wales and NI are kept despite the fact they are, well, really shite. Countries don’t give away territory- ever- no matter how crappy .

[Japan Jambo]

22 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

Ferries again!

 

Yup, sleaze is sleaze. Don't understand why so few care. 🤷‍♂️

[BlueRiver]

1 minute ago, Smithee said:

Bollocks it is, as you know fine the figures don't include all the things that are just absorbed into the UK.

 

The only in the round figures that have ever been made public, from 1938 IIRC, showed Scotland bringing a significant surplus.

 

You think England pays our way, their elite want to keep us, because of some ideal? 😆 

 

What's absorbed into the UK that isn't in the figures? Last I looked they included all tax receipts in Scotland. What else does Scotland generate that they discount? 

 

"Their" elites. Yet another person who ignores the idea that some of us on this island consider ourselves British. Emotional arguments and attachments aren't the sole preserve of Burns romanticists.

 

[BlueRiver]

2 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

Where is it categorically stated that we're given more than we generate? Westminster won't tell how much Scotland contributes and if we're skint why have a propaganda war against us?

 

The GERS figures. We generate £2000 or so less per head than we have spent in Scotland. Its black and white clear as day accepted by most. 

 

If you have information that contradicts or disproves it please share. 

[BlueRiver]

2 minutes ago, doctor jambo said:

Not really , same as wales and NI are kept despite the fact they are, well, really shite. Countries don’t give away territory- ever- no matter how crappy .

 

Tragic in my view. The Independence campaign would have me swayed already if it meant we could just bin Glasgow. 

[Roxy Hearts]

19 minutes ago, jambomjm74 said:

Ha ha. 
My points were fairly clear, but never mind. 

So were mine and yours had nothing to do with my point. You went off on a tangent just to have another go. It's the unionist way.

[Roxy Hearts]

1 minute ago, BlueRiver said:

 

The GERS figures. We generate £2000 or so less per head than we have spent in Scotland. Its black and white clear as day accepted by most. 

 

If you have information that contradicts or disproves it please share. 

GERS! 🤣🤣🤣

[BlueRiver]

1 minute ago, Roxy Hearts said:

GERS! 🤣🤣🤣

 

The main vehicle for independence accepts them. 

 

Like I say if you have any compelling figures or information to the contrary I'm all ears. However you don't. 

[BlueRiver]

How do folk feel about the way the current Holyrood government is dictating local spending to councils by the way? 

Edited February 11, 2023 by BlueRiver

[jambomjm74]

5 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

So were mine and yours had nothing to do with my point. You went off on a tangent just to have another go. It's the unionist way.

I made a series of points that you don’t like and refused to answer. 
no big deal. 

[Roxy Hearts]

1 minute ago, jambomjm74 said:

I made a series of points that you don’t like and refused to answer. 
no big deal. 

I have no opinion on it as it was irrelevant to my point. You're correct it's no big deal. I think we should make choices ourselves and put spending where it matters with all our resources.

[Unknown user]

3 minutes ago, BlueRiver said:

 

The main vehicle for independence accepts them. 

 

Like I say if you have any compelling figures or information to the contrary I'm all ears. However you don't. 

Accept them, meaning what? 

 

The point is that figures aren't released, but I'll give you an example. Something made in Scotland that's taken south and exported has export tax applied. But that tax isn't counted as being income that Scotland brings in, it's counted at the export port. Whisky's a good example.

[Roxy Hearts]

8 minutes ago, BlueRiver said:

 

The main vehicle for independence accepts them. 

 

Like I say if you have any compelling figures or information to the contrary I'm all ears. However you don't. 

Good for them. I want Westminster to tell us what Scotland produces then I'll tell you.

[jambomjm74]

4 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

I have no opinion on it as it was irrelevant to my point. You're correct it's no big deal. I think we should make choices ourselves and put spending where it matters with all our resources.

So you wouldn’t join the EU 

[BlueRiver]

3 minutes ago, Smithee said:

Accept them, meaning what? 

 

The point is that figures aren't released, but I'll give you an example. Something made in Scotland that's taken south and exported has export tax applied. But that tax isn't counted as being income that Scotland brings in, it's counted at the export port. Whisky's a good example.

 

That they believe the GERS figures are accurate and don't do anything to dispute them. 

 

Whisky figures are included in Scottish revenue to the tune of 5-6bn annually. Do you believe that this is being underrepresented to the extent that it would make up a substantial shortfall in the GERS figures? 

[BlueRiver]

10 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

Good for them. I want Westminster to tell us what Scotland produces then I'll tell you.

 

Edit. 

 

My bad it's a Holyrood publication not Westminster. 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by BlueRiver