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
If you’re not a leftie, then perhaps your your comments should be a little more sensible and grown up, and behave like your educated by writing sensible reasons as to why people voted no, instead of sounding like ‘ expats bottled it UG UG-DUHHH
Keith Muir, Edinburgh
I know it because the Edinburgh university study said native Scots did vote by a 6% margin to leave. Conversations with your oh so brave expats revealed they just didnt have the courage to vote yes. Perhaps your better off without them in that case.
bob
whats all this ‘brave’ crap youre talking about? are you 13 years old and just watched braveheart? oooooo they voted no they musnt be BRAVE lol. grow up?
Keith Muir, Edinburgh
they voted no they musnt be BRAVE congrats you just contradicted yourself.
From your behaviour I very much doubt your far out of short trousers but good luck irritating lefties someone needs to.
bob
lol, i can just picture you losing you mind because your losing control of what youre saying. you say i just contradicted myself? this is typical snp leftie behaviour it goes like this- you talk crap, get questioned about it, respond with more crap, questioned again, then you tell people theyve contradicted themselves when clearly they havent (the comment, typed as if you were saying it and clearly sarcastic to the understanding of a grown up) you do this because youre not intelligent enough to have a balanced opinion.