The UK needs some sort of federalist arrangement like that in the US. The issues that make this work poorly are not determining where the authority for certain policies lies (should health care be a federal or state program, for example), but how federal money is to be allocated to the states.
My guess is that underlying all the "nationalism" in the UK is also resentment over tax allocations. Policies not Politics ---- Daily Landscape
Recently London politicians are complaining that they do not get enough back. The problem is that London Region is the richest part of the UK but also contains areas of considerable poverty.
These arguments tend to degenerate into disputed statistics as to which area contributes most to tax receipts and gets the least back. Everyone uses the facts and assumptions which support their case and ignores the rest.
The money argument is the SNP's frame however. They have long argued that Scotland should be the main beneficiary of the North Sea Oil and Gas.
So, "It's Scotland's Oil" seems to have become "It's Holyrood's oil". Is it just the same old nationalist argument or is there a bigger economic argument this time? The revenues Holyrood could expect to line its purse next year alone are estimated at £12bn. And according to the SNP, this could rise to as much as £300m within 20 - 50 years. And that is just based on "known" reserves. But critics dismiss the proposal as a non starter. Peter Wood is an Economic Consultant based at Tribal in Edinburgh. He says the Treasury would never allow Scotland to keep oil revenues that would increase by 50% the money the Scottish Executive currently has to spend.
Is it just the same old nationalist argument or is there a bigger economic argument this time?
The revenues Holyrood could expect to line its purse next year alone are estimated at £12bn.
And according to the SNP, this could rise to as much as £300m within 20 - 50 years. And that is just based on "known" reserves.
But critics dismiss the proposal as a non starter. Peter Wood is an Economic Consultant based at Tribal in Edinburgh.
He says the Treasury would never allow Scotland to keep oil revenues that would increase by 50% the money the Scottish Executive currently has to spend.
The bill they are talking about in the article is a bluff. The SNP's real target are the Scottish Parialment's elections next year.
<snark> We're Scots, of course the arguments are money based </snark> Money is a sign of Poverty - Culture Saying
<snark> We're Scots, of course the arguments are money based </snark>
I remember this recent story...
The Scotsman: McConnell warns Blair over SNP threat in Holyrood elections (12 Jun 2006)
JACK McConnell has warned Tony Blair that the Scottish National Party poses a "real threat" to Labour at next year's Holyrood elections. The First Minister's warning coincided with a call from Welsh Labour MPs, who are anxious about the devolved assembly election there next year, for the Prime Minister to quit before next May. The devolved elections next year are fast emerging as a major focus for concerns about Labour's performance and Mr Blair's position.
The First Minister's warning coincided with a call from Welsh Labour MPs, who are anxious about the devolved assembly election there next year, for the Prime Minister to quit before next May.
The devolved elections next year are fast emerging as a major focus for concerns about Labour's performance and Mr Blair's position.
