Were I a 'psycho-babbler' (which thank the Lord I'm not, Sir!) I could produce several volumes on the ids and egos of that deeply peculiar minority of meagre-minded muppets who strive for power in miniscule nations. Nor would I need to search far because the perfect example is to be seen (and regrettably heard as well) just up the high road to Scotland, a minuscule nation with an even titchier leader of its National party in the less than delectable form of Ms. Nicola Sturgeon. As so often, 'our Will' summed her up several centuries before she was born:
I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on th' other.
Even an economic illiterate like me can work out in a few nano-seconds that an independent Scotland would start life utterly broke and then simply get 'broker'! The ridiculously pampered life-style of the Scottish 'government' is only possible on the backs of English tax-payers. As Leo McKinstry explains in today's Mail:
Ironically, the land that once produced the great economist Adam Smith — apostle of the free market — is gripped by debt, decay and dependency. Enterprise is too weak and state expenditure too high, running at a fifth higher per head than in England.
Almost 21 per cent of the Scottish workforce is in the public sector, compared with 14.9 per cent in the south-east of England. Revenues from North Sea oil, which the SNP once eagerly cited as a prop for their cause, is drying up fast. Four years ago, Scotland’s tax share of the profits from the North Sea stood at £11 billion. Even in 2014/15 the total was £1.8 billion. But last year, the amount in tax receipts was just £60 million, smashing one of the key economic arguments for independence.
Without England, Scotland would be bankrupt. Even the SNP government in Edinburgh admits that it spends £127 for every £100 it raises in taxation.
But of course, these pip-squeak Nationalists are not bothered by economic realities. There are only two surging emotions in their hearts, to do down the English and to feed their "vaulting ambition". Hopefully, a majority of canny Scots will see through this farrago of selfish stupidity, as they did at the last independence referendum, and send this bunch of psychos back to the loony bin where they belong!
I hope that too, David, but I fear as well.
Anti-English bigotry runs deep, and overpowers everything.
We may yet end up with the SSSR - Sturgeon's Scottish Socialist Republic.
Posted by: Andrew Duffin | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 12:02
Sounds like Illinois without Chicago.
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 12:07
Well, I am hoping they vote for independence. And I also hope that we have someone in charge of England to wave goodbye, build a nice wall and cut the money off. Oh yes, and reposition the SLBMs in Plymouth.
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 13:31
This time, no more Mister Nice Guy. They can't go until after the Brexit process is complete, because that makes it too difficult for our negotiations. They can't have the pound. They can see how they like the Euro. They'll probably find they like it about as much as the Greeks, especially as they will need massive loans from Mutti in order to even get going as a nation. And good point, BoE, I bet the businesses in Devon are growing more optimistic by the day.
The only downside is that, like Trump, we will need a big wall. Because there will be mass emigration when it all turns to rat-shit.
Posted by: Whyaxye | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 14:01
Even without the subsidies from the rest of the UK Scotland is wealthier than the average EU nation-state think Bulgaria, Romania, Greece. The EU is about to become even shorter of funds, so Scots admission would require that they pay in.
They can in fact keep the pound if they so wish (they could use any currency they wished) but if so then their monetary policy will be set in London, and their banks limited to internal trade as there will be no lender of last resort.
Posted by: Pat | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 14:17
Technically speaking Andrew Duffin, given that Sturgeon is the leader of the Scottish NATIONALIST Party, and is also clearly a socialist, one can therefore only conclude that she is in fact a Nazi.
Posted by: rapscallion | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 14:28
This latest ploy by whingy Mcwhingeface is nothing more than a Brexit spoiler of the most malicious kind. If the IQ of lefties such as her's measures much above zero but maximum on the nasty and devious scale then obviously the test is flawed beyond use. I am Welsh but am just as happy to see the backs of the Scots as much as the English are.
Posted by: Antisthenes | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 14:34
Does Dave Cameron deserve any blame for the current state of Great Britain?
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 16:31
Yes he does, Bob, but only his fair share. He also deserves great praise for completely losing his bottle when UKIP became such a threat that he lost his nerve and allowed a referendum. He also deserves praise for touring round Europe with a begging bowl which all the Eurocrats duly pissed in thus convincing a majority of Brits to vote for Brexit.
Oh, and the "current state of Britain is just fine, thank you for asking!
Posted by: David Duff | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 19:15
So Cameron should be damned with faint praise. And did I write Britain? Make that United Kingdom.
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 23:44
You already have a wall. Needs a bit of renovation though
Posted by: AussieD | Wednesday, 15 March 2017 at 00:19
We should get a load of Poles to rebuild it.
Posted by: CJ Nerd | Wednesday, 15 March 2017 at 00:41
We should get a load of Poles to rebuild it.
I suggest treated hardwood. It last longer and you can sharpen the tops into wicked spikes.
Posted by: AussieD | Wednesday, 15 March 2017 at 09:32
Mrs McWhinge was described in today's Telegraph as "the love-child of the Bay City Rollers with a Shetland Pony".
Wonderful don't you think?
Posted by: Andrew Duffin | Wednesday, 15 March 2017 at 12:21
I was not aware that a Shetland Pony had that kind of energy?
Posted by: Whitewall | Wednesday, 15 March 2017 at 12:37