SNP had previously accused Westminster of misrepresenting Scotland's finances
As Left Foot Forward reported yesterday, the SNP have brought forward an amendment to the Scotland Bill that would provide full fiscal autonomy (FFA) for Holyrood.
The amendment would allow the Scottish parliament to remove the reservation on taxation, borrowing and public expenditure, enabling them to legislate for FFA.
In a statement, SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson MP accused Tory and Labour politicians of trying to block the additional powers by misrepresenting Scotland’s financial position:
“The IFS figures they cite suggest that Scotland would have a deficit of £7.6 billion in 2015-16. But over the five years to 2013-14, the UK’s cumulative deficit has been worth over £600 billion.”
But according to the IFS, it is actually the SNP who are misusing figures. Speaking to the Financial Times(£), programme director Gemma Tetlow said:
“Our figures are not that Scotland’s borrowing [under the SNP’s plans] would be £7.6bn in 2016-17. Our figures suggest £14.2bn.”
As the FT reports, the IFS say that FFS would create a deficit of 4.6 per cent of national income in five years – equivalent to £8.9bn. According to the SNP, not only is this figure sustainable, it is comparable to past deficits run by UK governments.
Angus Robertson said yesterday that:
“The UK has been in deficit in 43 of the last 50 years. On the basis of the Tory and Labour argument, the UK can’t afford to be fiscally autonomous. This figure also implies that a fiscally autonomous Scotland would continue to stick with the current Tory spending plans, which clearly it would not.”
But in a report also published yesterday, the IFS refuted this:
“There have been very few years when the UK has run a deficit as large as 4.6 per cent of national income. In fact, this has only happened during the recent crisis period, the recession of the early 1990s, and the troubled times of the mid- to late 1970s.
“Furthermore, were the UK to run borrowing at this level, debt would be likely to continue rising over the longer term, rather than falling.”
Ruby Stockham is a staff writer at Left Foot Forward. Follow her on Twitter
40 Responses to “IFS accuses SNP of misusing figures to push for full fiscal autonomy”
bob
And i sneered at people suffering in Syria when exactly?? you snp nutters are very good at talking rubbish and accuse people nonsense so people dont focus on your opinions. As for your suffering at the hands of the UK police state in Scotland……you really do sound crazy, get on with your life child.
Scottish Scientist
This is what I wrote Bob.
“I stand with the victims of all injustices the world over, in Syria, Zimbabwe, Scotland or wherever you are, Bob. I do not sneer at those victims, Bob, and neither should you.”
Now I didn’t imply that you were sneering at people suffering in Syria bob but that you ought not to sneer at any victims of injustice anywhere the world over.
In other words you seemed to be picky about the victims whose suffering you acknowledge and those you sneer at – it seems to depend with you on what country a victim is in as to what attitude you take – to sneer or not to sneer, should be a question of geography.
I’m not in the SNP and neither am I a “nutter” or “crazy” because I have suffered and other people have suffered far worse at the hands of the UK police state, in Scotland and elsewhere under UK misrule.
Perhaps next you will tell the family and friends of the late Mr Bayoh who died at the hands of the police in Scotland to “get on with” their lives?
http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/sheku-bayoh-death-family-vow-to-find-out-truth-1-3795178
We are getting on with our lives bob. If the police abuse people it’s with them for life, that’s what their life is from then on, a lifetime of opposition to police brutality.
Oh and by the way, if the police didn’t abuse people so much in this country and this country was better run as a result, we could do a lot more to help the people of Syria and Zimbabwe.
bob
Well let me correct you on everything you just said. You did imply it by talking about sneering, and then IMPLYING by stating that i shouldnt SNEER also, perhaps you need to take some English lessons to understand how the language can be used. As for being picky about victims of injustice, i implied (please note, on understanding English and how to IMPLY something) that people in Syria inparticular have it far worse than we do, and i’m sure most grown up people would agree. And on the last thing you said about the UK police state and misrule, this is where you start to sound a bit silly and childish so i’m not going to lower myself to your silly level by responding to it.
bob
LOL, uk police state LOL, what is wrong with your life to be thinking crap like that.
bob
lefties are just seriously deluded, childish people who instead of being intelligent hard working are just people who want someone to blame, someone to moan at, someone to sponge off. moan moan moan, where are the grown ups with sensible ideas