England forks out for the rest of the UK.

[Pufflette]

I read this in a (respectable) newspaper today and have read such statistics before. Northern Ireland has a 70% dependency on public funding, Wales comes in at 64% and Scotland, lower, at 55%. England ranges from 64% (North East) down to 31% in London. I'm not English but I am wondering if English people feel resentment -especially Londoners and those from the South- that their tax money is being used to bumper up economies elsewhere?

[fagidill]

NO ! Why Should We Feel Resentment ? We Are Called , THE UNITED KINGDOM. Which Respectable Newspaper Gave This Information ? Look Forward To Your Reply.

[Pufflette]

I read it in the Belfast Telegraph because Gordon Brown wants to reduce the Province's dependency. I think I have also read something similar in the Guardian.

[kwicky]

England have been subsidising the Scots for decades and even have a special formula called the Barnett formula. Thanks to this the Scots can have free university education where English students need to pay �3000 per year, free health prescriptions and much else. If you want your child to have a better standard of living make sure your wife has the children north of the border.

[fagidill]

Pufflette : Thankyou For Your Reply , Have A Nice Christmas.

[david1702198]

kwicky i think you will find that the scottish government are subsidising free university education free prescriptions and whatever, you will also find that there is nothing stopping any other uk citizen applying for university in scotland as a lot have done. as for england subsidising scotland i would ask you to look at how much scotland generates in money for the uk in regards to oil,gas,whisky,tourism which i would think more than pays for our share. ask yourself why london doesnt want scotland to go independent you g o b s h i t e

[david1702198]

oh and another thing england has a population of 50m people of which i would say at least 10% are unemployed so you could say that the english are subsidisng more unemployed in your own country as opposed to "subsidising" 5m people in the whole of scotland!!!
what i do not agree with is scottish mps having a say in english matters and english mps having no say in scottish matters. that is not right in my humble opinion!!

[kwicky]

david(is that your prison number?) you need to get your facts right. Any English student studying in Scotland will have to pay the full fees of �3000 p.a. The oil revenues don't come into it as the Welsh would also meet opposition to independence. Personally I would favour Scottish independence so that they can stand on their own feet and be less a drain on us. Before you think the English are picking on you the same would be true of Northern Ireland.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics /domestic_politics/scotland+to+scrap+tuition+f ees/558472

[Pufflette]

Aren't you so mannerly Fagidill; and a Merry Christmas to you, too!

[Pufflette]

The UK is already beginning to break-up. It is already happening in Northern Ireland. Perhaps Scotland is next.
Consider these:
1) Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, has registered his party, Fianna Fail, in Northern Ireland. = political reunification ,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/71 33848.stm,

2) Aer Lingus (ROI's national airline) pulled out of an Irish airport (Shannon) to relocate in Belfast. = economic reunification
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/70 03758.stm

[david1702198]

the oil revenue doesnt come into it??? well where does all the f u c k i n g money go then you t o s s e r ???it certainly doesnt all go to scotland!!! and why would the welsh be oposed to scottish independence?? after all it is something they are considering also!!! i find it hard to beleive that all the problems stem from england "subsidising" the rest of the uk. i think that is just a convenient excuse. what about all the money lavished on the iraq conflict or the drain on public services due to immigrants!!and you think that all the problems seem to come from north of the border. you g o b s h i t e

[david1702198]

oh and by the way kwicky it is irrelevant who opposes scottish independence as the snp will hold referendum on independence and WE THE SCOTS will decide!!! get it up you

[fagidill]

David1702198 I Agree With Ur Post's, The Uk Is In Shred's ! Thankes To TW@TING BLUR & BROWN Their More Interested In Uniteing Us With Fcuking Asian's , Africans, East Europeans In Fact Anybody Who Aint English ,Irish ,Scottish Or Welsh. I Thought We Were Called , THE UNITED KINGDOM !!!!!!! What The Hell Has Happened To US?

[fagidill]

For All Those That Are Keen To Slag Off SCOT'S ! Search WIKIDEDIA & Type In * SCOTTISH INVENTOR'S * . By The Way I Am English If Any one Was Wondering !!

[fagidill]

: V : To Those Who Would Sooner Support Asylum Seeker's & Scum Instead Of Your Own Countrymen . Ur Turncoat's & Big Time NOB HEAD'S ! & The : V : Is Two Fingers Up To You. Three Cheer's To The BNP .!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[david1702198]

In 2005, total Scottish exports (excluding intra-UK trade) were provisionally estimated to be �17.5 billion, of which 70% (�12.2 billion) were attributable to manufacturing.[60] Scotland's primary exports include whisky, electronics and financial services. The United States, The Netherlands, Germany, France and Spain constitute the country's major export markets.[60] In 2006, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Scotland was just over �86 billion, giving a per capita GDP of �16 900. [61][62]

Tourism is widely recognised as a key contributor to the Scottish economy. A briefing published in 2002 by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, (SPICe), for the Scottish Parliament's Enterprise and Life Long Learning Committee, stated that tourism accounted for up to 5% of GDP and 7.5% of employment. [63]

As of November 2007 the unemployment rate in Scotland stood at 4.9% - lower than the UK average and that of the majority of EU countries.[64]

[david1702198]

think the above more than states the case that we sponge off of no one.

[sydenmal13]

Hi! pufflette im not sure that you believe that Scotland should become independant or not, I am Welsh and I can assure you that the vast majority of Welsh people do not want to seperate from the union. To break up the union would have catastrophic results on our nations, our strength is in being together and has been for many years,this silly bickering between ourselves is ridiculous we all benefit by supporting one and other,together we are one of the greatest nations in the world apart we would be nothing. dont forget that we have China and India gaining in strength by the day, take a leaf out of the rugby teams book play as best you can for your nation but shake hands and have a drink together after the game.

[sydenmal13]

fagidill! you didnt need to tell us that your a supporter of the BNPyour racist comments and your inability to conduct an exchange of views without the use of foul language indicates quite clearly the sort of uncouth person you are and does you no credit at all, perhaps a change off attitude might make people take you more seriously.

[cruella]

kwicky,
Juts a point here.
Scots do not get free prescriptions. We pay for them the same as England.
My Husband has Cancer, needed an emergency appoinment this morning at a local hospital to see a Dentist on the advice of NHS24 and had to pay to be seen privately.
No choice in the matter. We were more than happy to pay!

[david1702198]

the independence issue doenst really bother me as i dont see any reasonable reason to do so but i am not going to sit back and let pl slag us that we sponge when we dont. we probably contribute more to the uk than we should be.