The Independent reveals that:
'The Scottish government was accused of "covering up" its private fears that it would struggle to pay its bills if next year's referendum produces a vote in favour of breaking away from the United Kingdom.
Fresh acrimony was injected into the independence campaign after the leak of a paper by John Swinney, the SNP finance minister, which warned colleagues that the nation's finances – and its ability to afford pensions and public services - would be imperilled by fluctuating oil prices and the cost of an ageing population.
He said the cost of collecting taxes would soar and defence spending would have to be trimmed if Scotland went it alone.
Mr Swinney said: "Demographic pressures will increase the demand for existing public services, particularly but not exclusively in health. Spending on state pensions and public sector pensions is also driven by demographics and is set to rise."'
So presumably the shortfall will be made up by English taxpayers in the event of the SNP losing a vote in favour of breaking away from the United Kingdom.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the English should have a vote on English independence.