Meanwhile in Scotland 2

Thanks MaizieD for answering my question. I daresay legal fees could mount on it!

as suggested by the well known nationalist, Mr Murphy.

Really, SirChenjin?

He's not even Scottish (surname is a bit of a clue) and he lives in the south of England. He has no skin in the game. Neither do I (apart from having a niece and nephew born in Scotland of English parents - who support Independence). I just put the link here for the interest of those involved.

Murphy has done the calculations; casts doubts on the GERs figures, and contends that Scotland could well 'go it alone'.

Yes, really

He's a well known supporter of indy Richard Murphy is an economist.

"He runs the blog Tax Research UK where he is described as:

Richard Murphy (60) is a chartered accountant and a political economist. He has been described by the Guardian newspaper as an “anti-poverty campaigner and tax expert”. He is Professor of Practice in International Political Economy at City University, London and Director of Tax Research UK. According to International Tax Review Richard was the 7th most influential person in global tax in 2013. In 2016 Richard was in the same journal’s Global Top 50 in tax, one of only two people to have been so for the whole five years it had published such a list. In 2017 he was ninth on the same list.

And he’s a supporter of Scottish Independence. Here are a couple of videos where he talks about how Scotland will do economically as an independent nation"

First quote marks should have been before "Richard Murphy is an economist...

Recommend a little background reading "McCrone Report" on Scottish Oil

Look up "Stolen Seas" on UTube.

Thatcher scooped up all the Oil and now Boris has his eye on something far more precious, Scottish Water. So far it has been too expensive to pump down to England but the day will come when the economics make it worthwhile. That is if he doesn't manage to sell it off like English Supplies.

Murphy supports Scottish independence, but how does that make him a nationalist, SirChenjin? I'd support it but I don't live there and I'm, if anything, English. Does that make me a nationalist too?

He's an academic who is putting the case for Scottish independence; I thought you were rather dismissive of him because of what you think he is, rather than what he actually says.

Not at Maizie - he is a well known supporter of Scottish independence, he doesn’t just make a case for it. I don’t dismiss him, he’s entitled to his nationalist leaning views, but there are plenty with non nationalist leanings who dispute his financial appraisals.

Aspen there’s a good interview here with Gavin McCrone about the McCrone report (which never actually existed as a report) www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/brian-wilson-here-s-the-real-story-about-the-mccrone-report-1-4886216/amp and another here www.heraldscotland.com/news/17462813.mccrone-reacts-as-famous-scottish-independence-oil-report-published-in-newspaper/

WE dont have a deficit ,we have aproportion of Westminsters debts put in our name.Thats things we neither want nor need and wouldn't spend billions of our own money on.Like London crossrail and London Sewers and Big Ben ,Buck house .HS2 and the one a majority of Scots want rid of Trident.
We can well afford to run our country IF we get control of our finances .Currently westmonster keeps 60% of our income and thats not counting the exports that go out through English ports.They're counted as English.Whisky alone accounts for around 25% of ALL UK food and drink exports
Does anyone really believe thats the right way a country should be run.
By a parliament that has 80% of its members who dont live or work here and who know damn all about Scotland and care even less.Its not the norm .Over 60 Nations have gained Independence from Westminster in past decades .How many asked to come back...that'll be none!!

That’s not how a deficit works paddyanne as you well know . You can read more about it here - including Mackay’s acknowledgment that the Gers data, which covers all UK and Scottish government spending in Scotland and a share of pan-UK spending on areas such as defence, overseas aid and debt reduction, was an accurate assessment of the country’s fiscal position last year. www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/21/scotland-2018-deficit-higher-than-uk-as-a-whole-last-year

"THE future of the UK may be on a knife edge as a new poll places support for Scottish independence at 52% - its highest for over three-and-a-half years. The Panelbase poll puts Yes support at 52% - up five percentage points from a previous study."

That's 3 polls within a week giving support for Independence at 50, 51, and 52%. I'm not saying that is conclusive but it certainly gives the lie to the UK Governments claim that there is NO appetite for it in Scotland.

Murphy's recent critique of GERS, with embedded links to earlier blogs.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2019/12/30/its-time-for-gers-to-go/

I note that Mackay appears to have no formal qualifications in accounting, economics or data handling. I assume he relies on his advisors to brief him on financial matters. Not a criticism in particular but I'd take an expert's word over a minister's.

www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=ClTLyAfhw1w&feature=emb_logo&fbclid=IwAR1j-cs-nSBjX9Xnl4h22Tw15O2ZhKC_BMGMHGwBVGjgV0GSW

Watch and weep.

You don’t need to assume anything - that’s exactly what happens. Mackay is advised by a range of experts from a variety of fields who make assessments and report to him. Remember that Murphy is only one Indy supporting expert in a very wide field - other financial opinions are available.

The last two polls were commissioned and funded by pro Indy groups (with one crowdfunded) so I’d urge caution at this point - they’re certainly not going to convince the fence sitters like me to vote Yes. I don’t doubt that there’s an appetite given the shambles at WM but we all know how bitter and divisive the last few years have been. Until the SNP offer Scotland something that’s quite obviously better then it’s a wait and see game as the vast majority of political commentators have already said.

Apologies - it was only the last poll that was funded by Scot Goes Pop

Thank you Grannyn23, I did watch and wept.

Thank you, Granny23. Very moving and cheering at the same time.

I take it all you unionists are happy that the Scottish MP's were denied a vote on bill that clearly affects the SNHS? Is this democracy? Persoanlly I was spitting feathers mbut then I believe that we should be treated fairly and time after time I find westminster lets me down.

You’ll need to enlighten me - I was working for NHSS today and didn’t realise there had been a vote on something that was going to affect us directly, unless you’re talking about the SNP attempting to vote on an English matter?

The Bill concerned funding for the NHS. Under the Barnett Formula the Scottish Government which controls the Scottish NHS, receives a set percentage of the allocation to the NHS in England. Thus the decision taken under EVEL does directly affect the funding for the Scottish NHS.

It’s been a busy week in Scotland. The Finance Minister has had to resign in unfortunate circumstances. I guess he won’t be taking over as SNP leader now. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51397956

The CalMac Ferries affair rumbles on. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50866891?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scotland/scotland_politics&link_location=live-reporting-story

Twice as many homeless people dying as elsewhere. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51384196?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scotland/scotland_politics&link_location=live-reporting-story

John Swinney has been forced to widen the review into education. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-51392631?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scotland/scotland_politics&link_location=live-reporting-story

There’s a two year delay on Aberdeen’s new family hospital. www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/two-year-delay-for-aberdeen-hospital-plan/

In other news, Scotland is as beautiful as ever. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51392640

FORMER finance secretary Derek Mackay will not face charges over the barrage of "inappropriate" messages he sent to a 16-year-old boy. Police Scotland consulted with the Crown Office before concluding that no laws had been broken in his interactions with the teen, according to a report in the Daily Record.“The messages were not highly ­sexualised and, in any case, the boy was 16 and of age. But consideration was given as to whether the messages could have caused fear and alarm or distress. The teen claims he had not been troubled enough by the messages to make a formal complaint to the police, though they had made him feel uncomfortable.

Also nothing on the mainstream news about Nicola's trip to Brussels to make a speech, updating the EU on Scotland's current position and to have cordial talks with Barnier.

If you only source news via the Unionist press and BBC, then you will only see 'SNP' bad stories e.g. that Nicola is personally responsible for the freak weather conditions which led to a temporary closure of the Queensferry crossing to ensure the safety of travellers.

Here is another good news story from NewsNet

newsnet.scot/news-analysis/nicola-sturgeon-to-receive-major-european-award/?fbclid=IwAR1p_alTGkuiDgerW_EecLqaxeta2obr0-TOJhyV4HU7BY4KMAWoxkLc-Ck

Better check the rumours floating around. Can't say more due to superinjunction in place. Allegedly. It'll all come out soon enough I suspect.

e.g. that Nicola is personally responsible for the freak weather conditions which led to a temporary closure of the Queensferry crossing to ensure the safety of travellers

Of course, we all knew that!
Here in the South it is clear it was Dominic Cummings doing a rain dance in the garden to Number 10.

Another quote from the National, which shows once again how Scotland is viewed as a vassal state at Westminster.

" The Scottish Affairs Committee (SAC) exists to scrutinise the activities of the Scotland Office and assess policies and legislation that have a direct impact on Scotland.Yesterday papers revealed how Boris Johnson’s party could dominate the cross-party committee under newly-published plans.

Moves put down in Westminster paperwork show plans to put five Conservatives on the 11-member panel – increasing the number even after the number of Tory MPs in Scotland fell from 13 to six at December’s election. While the SNP secured 47 seats, with suspended candidate Neale Hanvey winning another on a pro-independence platform, it has been allotted three members.Labour would have two MPs, both drawn from English constituencies. The LibDems would take one place, nominating newly-elected Wendy Chamberlain.
Yesterday SAC chairman Pete Wishart said the proposed membership – including four MPs from English constituencies – was “certainly not levelling-up Scots representation”. “Committees about Scotland should reflect the members elected from there – it’s ridiculous that Westminster seems to have no mechanism in place to address this ridiculous imbalance. The brass neck of the Tories to take up these positions, even after such a crushing defeat in Scotland, beggars belief.”