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| True Scotsman |
Salmond sees Scots in 'arc of prosperity'Alex Salmond talks about the prosperity of an Independent Scotland.http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1172632006 Salmond sees Scots in 'arc of prosperity' PETER MACMAHON AN INDEPENDENT Scotland would become part of a northern European "arc of prosperity", the Scottish National Party promised yesterday. Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, claimed that Ireland, Iceland and Norway demonstrated that small independent countries were amongst the richest in the world. Mr Salmond said that all three "young countries" had become independent in the 20th century and moved from being less prosperous than Scotland to being more economically successful. Making his case for reduced business taxation, the SNP leader said that all three of these northern European nations had lower corporation taxes than Scotland had as part of the UK. Norway, the second most prosperous country in the world, charged businesses 28 per cent corporation tax. Ireland, the fifth richest country, had a rate of 12.5 per cent and in Iceland, the sixth in the world prosperity league, the rate was 18 per cent. He cited Iceland's increase in spending on research and development, Norway's creation of a £110.9 billion "future generations fund" and Ireland's booming financial sector as examples that an independent Scotland should follow. Mr Salmond said: "Scotland can be part of northern Europe's arc of prosperity. "There are three countries there which are all in the top six wealthiest in the world. In contrast, devolved Scotland is in 18th place and the UK as a whole is only 14th. "With distant London in charge, Scotland will just keep slipping further behind." However, a spokesman for Scottish Labour dismissed the claims, saying: "Until the SNP explains where the axe will fall to pay for the £11 billion cost of independence, nobody will take them seriously." |
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| SLG |
Until the Labour Party explains where the £11 billion cost of independence arises, nobody will take them seriously. | ||||||
| Shadowman |
"Oo look at me, it's not just Tony Blair who can use the word arc!"
Salmond, give us a break. |
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| One O'Clock Gun |
Deep breaths now. |
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| Shadowman |
I'm not hysterical at all. I just think it'd be better for Salmond if he stuck to advocating sensible policies for Scotland, rather than nattering on about how wonderful independence would be.
But as usual, he has missed the point. Ireland and Norway are not prosperous because they are independent: they are prosperous because they have either adopted business-friendly economic policies, or are blessed with vast natural resources. Considering that the Scottish electorate lies to the left of that of Britain as a whole, it's highly unlikely that independence is going to convert enough to the low-tax high-growth model that Salmond now espouses for it to enter government. |
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| IF Convenor |
1) It is surely part of the job of the leader of the SNP to indicate the potential benefits of independence to the electorate. How else is he going to get folk to vote SNP?
2) I don't believe Scotland's electorate really is to the left of the UK's. I believe Scots voters are naturally conservative (small c). The corrupt UK electoral system gives Labour a huge advantage at the polls, but their overwhelming representation at Westminster does not indicate a proportional level of support in Scotland (even if you assumed that voting Labour indicated any sort of left wing tendency). |
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| Clatch |
Ireland has been able to adopt "business-friendly economic policies" different to UK ones precisely because it is independent. And as for revenues from natural resources, all independent nations can use these as they wish and I believe Scotland have their fair share....... Well done Salmond for keeping independence centre stage. Typical response from a Labour lackey.... |
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| Clatch |
The £11 billiion cost of independence quoted by the Labour lackey.....Where does he get that figure from? | ||||||
| Economist |
Erm...Scotland is blessed with natural resources. Norway has a very high tax burden, yet has natural resources and is one of the most properous nations in the world. Ireland has few natural resources and a relatively low tax burden. Scotland should adopt the policies which brings it prosperity. We have more than enough ability to find a way between both Ireland's "model" and Norway's "model". Just that it would be "Scotland's" model. I think in an independent Scotland, the right-of-centre parties perhaps the Tories would do well in an independent Scotland. They're handicapped in Scotland because people up here see them as the Scottish representatives of the Little Englanders that infest the Tory party down south. Divorcing themselves completely from that and their nauseating, slavish adherence to the idea of "Union" would probably do them quite well up here. . |
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| Maol.Chaluim |
"Unionist Scaremongering For Beginners" Ch 3. How much does it cost Scotland to remain in the UK? |
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| Anthropos |
Exactly! Would any Scottish political party go around saying "vote us and we will make you poorer!"? Of course not. Even the SSP, whose policies would economically destroy Scotland, claim they will make it more prosperous.
This is a fair point. It should be noted that Salmond has - after quite a few years of toing and froing - has now committed the SNP to cutting Corporation Tax which implicitly recognises the importance of economic growth. However he will not countenance a cut in personal taxation which does show that he still believes the state knows best when it comes to individuals privately earned income. So your concerns are not without foundation. The SNP has very much been part of the Scottish social democratic consensus, thirled to high public spending, pseudo-egalitarianism, state control of health and education. Let us not forget that this consensus has given us slow economic growth, poor health and poor schools.
Well the majority of the SNP's voters are ex Tory voters and the majority of SNP seats are ex Tory seats so possibly there is some potential for a revival in their fortunes if they reinvented themselves in a post independent Scotland, though it might be at the expense of the SNP. It all very much depends if there is a vacancy, if an SNP led administration does a good job and delivers for the nation then there will be no demand for a reinvented Tory party in whatever form that might take, but if they stick to the above mentioned social democratic consensus and it delivers what it has been delivering up until now, then there may be an opportunity for a party advocating low taxes, fiscal prudence and smaller government. But as I said, it depends. |
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| IF Convenor |
What you have to understand is that the SNP's raison d'etre ceases once independence is achieved. Sure, they'll carry on like the ANC in South Africa, but there won't really be any need for them and they will split and their vote will drop. I don't know why anybody thinks the SNP will actually run Scotland for more than one term after it has achieved its goal. | ||||||
| Blackleaf |
And receives loads of money from the EU every year, whereas the UK loses money to the EU every year. All Ireland's done is ridden the EU Gravy Train. |
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| IF Convenor |
They've done what's best for their own population. That's what independent countries can do.
The UK could stand to learn some lessons from Ireland. |
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| azzuri |
Ireland is actually now a net CONTRIBUTOR to the EU. Factual argument isn't really your forte, is it Blackleaf? |
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