(02-05-2020, 06:17 PM)guohua Wrote: Not to change the subject about Brexit, but I was wanting to here @"gordi" thoughts and how Scotland is being affected by this.
I've actually started to post a reply (previously) about 4 times so far...
I'm quite ambivalent about the EU, but I get the distinct impression that Scotland as a whole is very much pro-EU, or at least pro-Europe. (62% of Scots voted to Remain in the EU at the EU referendum but as usual they are being out-voted and ignored by England/Westminster).
Scotland's views on... pretty much everything, couldn't be further from what Boris Johnson and the Tory UK Government are creating for the UK. It is horrible to see, and there is a growing resentment that Scotland is being dragged in a direction that the majority of Scots don't want to go.
BoJo / Westminster and their media lapdogs continually lampoon Scotland, Scottish MP's and Scots in general. Implying that we are a drain on the UK, that WM "spends" more on Scotland than other "regions" in the UK, that we are benefit junkies subsidised by the south.
If that were truly the case, then why are they so desperate to keep Scotland as part of the UK?
Why deny the Scottish Govt the right to hold another Independence Referendum? (Since there has been significant material change in our circumstances with regards to being dragged out of the EU despite being promised that the ONLY way to remain in the EU was to remain in the UK (in 2014)).
Why try to introduce legislation to make it harder for UK nations to hold referenda in the future?
Why argue that the UK NEEDS independence from the decision makers in Brussels, while at the same time refuting the same argument from Scotland regarding Westminster?
The truth is that Scotland is NOT subsidised by England.
The UK Govt. doesn't "spend" money in Scotland. It takes massive amounts of Tax revenues (more per head than from ANY other region in the UK) from Scotland, then THEY decide what portion of those revenues THEY will return to Scotland (via The Barnett Formula and other measures). The amount returned to Scotland ALWAYS being VERY MUCH less than the Revenues TAKEN from Scotland.
But that's not the full picture.
The financial health of a nation is often reflected in its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) which is a measure of how much money is generated per head of population. One main constituent of GDP being Exports.
The UK Govt takes its figures for the value of exported goods directly from our UK port authorities. Each and Every Port which handles goods for export abroad keeps an accurate record of those goods and their associated value to the economy and those figures are what is used to generate the official UK Govt GDP figures for each "region".
BUT... What they DON'T SAY is that the figures are tallied up, NOT by country of origin, but by country of EXPORT (in other words where the Port is located). Since many English ports are geographically nearer to Europe (our biggest export markets) then it makes sense to transport most Scottish goods by Road/Rail to English ports prior to Shipment abroad. (It cuts down on shipping costs)
This has the effect of massively BOOSTING ENGLISH Export figures (with Scottish goods) and dramatically REDUCING SCOTTISH Export figures (for Scottish goods which leave the UK from English ports).
This reinforces the "Scotland is Poor, subsidised by the Rich South" narrative, and helps to keep Scotland in check.
As a Scot, I am bitterly opposed to BoJo, The Tories and to being governed by Westminster.
This is supposed to be a UNION of EQUALS. It is not.
I am sick of being told to shut up and do what we're told by a Government that we NEVER voted for.
I am sick of being lied to and denigrated on a daily basis.
I am sick of my country being BLED DRY by these despicable parasites. (All Whisky Tax revenues and Oil & Gas Tax revenues go straight to WM!)
It is my wish, my desire and my dream that my country will soon be free of this shambolic Union, it'll be like finally getting rid of an abusive partner from a relationship.
Then, and only then, will we have the chance TO DECIDE FOR OURSELVES what is in the best interests of our own country. Whether to rejoin the EU. Whether to join a Nordic Trade Alliance. or Whatever.
On a related note, it is my firm belief that both the Scottish Independence referendum (2014) and the EU (Brexit) referendum were rigged. I have seen a stack of evidence regarding Postal Voting anomalies, Illegal pre-vote ad campaigns on social media platforms etc
So, how is this all affecting Scotland?
If we don't get OUT of the UK... and SOON.... We're pretty much fucked.
G
PS - The post about Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP's humiliating/embarrassing lighting up Brussels thing is a pile of poo, reported in a Tory rag.
The SNP NEVER EVER Stated that the lights were done BY the EU or by Brussels.
It was done to let the EU know that the Scottish Govt still "loves" them.
The actual statement (from NS) about "Brussels leaving a light on" for Scotland was in a Tweet which showed an image of the European Commission building in Brussels, with a projection showing SCOTLAND (heart) EUROPE AND a single office light on!! Her actual tweet was referencing that single light and said in full:
"The EU Commission building in Brussels tonight (and if you look carefully you’ll see that they do appear to have left a light on for us!) "
i.e. NS was JOKING about the single office light left on, not making any claims about Brussels or the EU projecting anything!!!!
One single sample source out of very many