Just to place Scotland's deficit in context SH:
According to the net fiscal balances from 2018, the largest deficits were found in:
North West England
Scotland
Wales
West Midlands
North East England
Northern Ireland
East Midlands
South West England (overpoportionately Cornwall)
England as a whole
Surpluses were recorded in:
London
South East England
East of England
So Scotland is far from being the only supported area of the UK - in fact, most of the UK comes into this category. They are also 'assisted' areas of the EU - meaning that they receive EU money - sometimes in larger amounts compared to what comes out of Westminster. It appears, of course, that London and the South East is subsidizing the whole show until you realize that London is syphoning off money from the rest of the country. This happens because:
1. Most interest is paid in London.
2. Most profits are recorded in London
3. Most leasing is recorded in London
4. This is true of rents as well.
5. Credit card fees and bank charges will, largely, be recorded in London
6. The same applies to insurance
In addition:
- Most bosses are in London
- The same applies to the highest paid employees
- The same applies to most oligarchs
- Most wealth is in the South East, and so are those who charge high fees to service it.
So, incomes are highest in London. But the work needed to support all of this is done in the rest of the country for much lower wages. Wealth is sucked out of the country to be recorded in London. This hasn't actually changed because in the days of them thar satanic mills most of Britain's wealth was made in the north and spent in the south. All of which raises the question of who actually subsidizes who ? Basically London and the South East is parasitic on the rest of the UK ! This includes Scotland.
As to whether the EU would open it's arms to an independent Scotland - just wait and see ! They wouldn't accept Scotland if the UK were still members, but brexit opens up a new range of possibilities.
