Plenty of questions over new indy vote...
IREAD the letter regarding Scottish independence in Tuesday’s Glasgow Times. If 56% of Scotland votes for independence at a future referendum, this decision will hopefully have been reached based on facts and figures, and not the result of an emotional response to this question.
The population of Scotland is 5.5 million and the working population before the coronavirus was 2.6m. Scotland would be leaving the UK with a total population of 61m ( excluding Scotland) and 60% of Scotland’s exports go to England.
It is estimated that after one year of being independent, there would be a shortfall of around £ 15 billion in taxes collected to pay for the public services and Scotland would no longer be able to depend on the UK Treasury.
It would be on its own and would have to find a solution to this problem. It could increase taxes, cut public services and as the SNP like to reply to this question “grow the economy”. The third solution would mean a likely requirement of half a million more jobs and/ or salaries to double. This is totally unrealistic, especially in the short term. What is more likely, would be privatisation of some public services.
Southern Ireland does not have an NHS. It has a two- tier system and 70% of the population have to take out private health care, ranging between € 2000 euros to as high as € 7000. The budget for the NHS for Scotland is around £ 15bn.
In addition, Scotland would under no circumstances be able to retain the Pound Sterling. A new currency would have to be valued and it would likely have a much lower valuation than Sterling. Will Scots be paid in the new lower valued currency? Will the building societies guarantee savings in Sterling? Will pensions and state pensions be received in the new or old currency?
These are all questions the Scottish people should be demanding answers to from the SNP government. Be careful what you wish for Scotland, you might just get it!
Elaine Tolland
Via email
I HAVE no objection to proper cycle lanes ( Cycle lane works to begin in West End, Glasgow
Times online). But now there are only cut- throughs from Sauchiehall Street/ Dumbarton Road onto Great Western Road at two points – Charing Cross and Church Street/ Byres Road – now that Kelvin Walkway is closed.
Plus the Great Western Road past Anniesland is effectively one lane when a bus pulls in to stop and when bus lanes are in operation.
So, can someone enlightened tell me how all this stationary, engine- running traffic is helping with CO2 emissions and reducing our carbon footprint? I think it’s contributing more to it!
Be careful what you wish for Scotland, you might just get it