Darling, Darling, Darling, versus the Salmond

[mudskipper]

Interesting point. Can you please explain to me how Scotland is so unequal, socially and financially?

Once I get that part maybe I'll understand how an independent Scottish government will be able to improve things. But feel free to explain that part to me as well.

This is not a "smarty arse" post, I'd really would like to know the answers. I didn't think that Scotland was unequal, socially and financially.

Scottish students get free university places (as do students from elsewhere in Europe, apart from England, who study in Scotland).
Old people in Scotland get free personal care.
Everyone in Scotland gets free prescriptions.
Scottish hospitals have free parking.

So it doesn't seem that we are equal at all.

[TestMangler]

Interesting point. Can you please explain to me how Scotland is so unequal, socially and financially?

Once I get that part maybe I'll understand how an independent Scottish government will be able to improve things. But feel free to explain that part to me as well.

This is not a "smarty arse" post, I'd really would like to know the answers. I didn't think that Scotland was unequal, socially and financially.

I think the point was that in the first debate, Darling was promising extra powers for Scotland in the event of a no vote and asked the electorate to say 'no' in return for the better together coalition parties doing great things in the future to 'make Scotland a better country to live in'. I think the point of the question was, if Lib/Lab/Con have been in power in the UK since time began, why would a no vote suddenly make them pay some kind of attention to Scotland ?

From my point of view, I don't really give a tulip about the details. The main deciding factor for me is that the government of Scotland should be elected by the people of Scotland. It's as simple as that. The rest of the details can be taken care of. For more than half my life, Scotland had governments that it didn't elect.

[mudskipper]

I think the point was that in the first debate, Darling was promising extra powers for Scotland in the event of a no vote and asked the electorate to say 'no' in return for the better together coalition parties doing great things in the future to 'make Scotland a better country to live in'. I think the point of the question was, if Lib/Lab/Con have been in power in the UK since time began, why would a no vote suddenly make them pay some kind of attention to Scotland ?

From my point of view, I don't really give a tulip about the details. The main deciding factor for me is that the government of Scotland should be elected by the people of Scotland. It's as simple as that. The rest of the details can be taken care of. For more than half my life, Scotland had governments that it didn't elect.

But how is that different to the north of England, for example?

[TestMangler]

Scottish students get free university places (as do students from elsewhere in Europe, apart from England, who study in Scotland).
Old people in Scotland get free personal care.
Everyone in Scotland gets free prescriptions.
Scottish hospitals have free parking.

So it doesn't seem that we are equal at all.

Muddy, the Scottish Government gets a block grant from the UK based on the Barnett formula.

The Scottish Government decides how to spend that money (within the boundaries of their powers). Money into one thing means money out of another. They don't get to magic wand 'free prescriptions' and it comes out of thin air or extra money becomes available.

For what it's worth the SNP have done more with their block grant budget than labour did when they were in power.

[eek]

Scottish students get free university places (as do students from elsewhere in Europe, apart from England, who study in Scotland).
Old people in Scotland get free personal care.
Everyone in Scotland gets free prescriptions.
Scottish hospitals have free parking.

So it doesn't seem that we are equal at all.

Clearly we aren't equal. And considering the amount we already seem to spend unequally and their desire for even more perhaps its better that we leave them to their utopia.

I hope Scotland votes yes so they discover what reality is really like...

[TestMangler]

But how is that different to the north of England, for example?

I'm not saying it is different. I'm saying the priorities of the voters in Scotland (and much of England for that matter) are different from the governments they generally get due to the size and varying 'wants' of the populace.

I didn't ask Darling to promise anything, but the fact remains that he did and that was what was being questioned. If you have the power to change something for the better, why does it take the potential loss of your job before you decide you want to deliver it

[TestMangler]

Clearly we aren't equal. And considering the amount we already seem to spend unequally and their desire for even more perhaps its better that we leave them to their utopia.

I hope Scotland votes yes so they discover what reality is really like...

Eek, seriously ?? So people in Scotland get everything for nothing and the English pay all the taxes ??

[eek]

Eek, seriously ?? So people in Scotland get everything for nothing and the English pay all the taxes ??

No but many people perceive those differences as unjustifiable because we all pay the same rate of tax and ni.

[TestMangler]

No but many people perceive those differences as unjustifiable because we all pay the same rate of tax and ni.

Why don't you vote for a party who will curb non essential spending and council spending then, and use that money to fund the 'free' things listed above.

That's what happened in Scotland. Priorities were set, some budgets lost out, some budgets won, but the overall budget didn't change.

[scooterscot]

Interesting point. Can you please explain to me how Scotland is so unequal, socially and financially?

Once I get that part maybe I'll understand how an independent Scottish government will be able to improve things. But feel free to explain that part to me as well.

This is not a "smarty arse" post, I'd really would like to know the answers. I didn't think that Scotland was unequal, socially and financially.

The financial inequality in Scotland is the same as it is throughout the UK. From the North of England to the South. You don't have to look far. In Aberdeen for example, I've seen some of the poorest with little utility struggle to make ends meet whilst living in a city that generates so much wealth. That's plan jane wrong. And I'm not talking one or two people, but whole communities. Education might be the way out, but often it is soft problems, family life, that government pays little attention to.

Alcohol & deep fried mars bars. There are those with life expectancy so poor they'll not even see sight of new retirement age let alone the old one. This 'one size fits all' for the age of retirement does not work. It cannot work. Yet they're forced to swallow it. Yes, I understand poor diets and general health don't help. But that's their problem. If they work during their useful working life then it should not end with down tools and into the coffin.