Hamza Yousaf’s visit to his luxurious Brussels HQ is not going to change EU reality

Scotland would be forced to join the euro - but it doesn't come close to the criteria

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2023

Facts4EU.Org presents the cold, hard, economic facts of life for the SNP

Scotland and the European Union

Part One : The illogicality of wanting to be independent and then ceding it to a foreign power - plus Scotland's prestigious Brussels HQ
Part Two : Revealed - the sheer size of Scotland's expensive Brussels operation
Part Three : The Scottish economy and how Scotland would never be allowed to rejoin for at least a decade or more (this report)

There is no question about this. All applicant countries must adopt the Euro as their currency and Scotland would be no exception.

To do so the SNP Scottish government would have to stop spending like there’s no tomorrow. Scotland’s deficit is far higher than the rest of the UK’s and they would be forced by the EU to reduce it dramatically before re-joining could be remotely possible. This would involve sweeping cuts to Scotland’s public services over several years.

The Scottish economy

Scotland’s GDP represents approximately one-twelfth of the UK’s total. Despite this, the SNP is running a massive operation in Brussels, wholly separate from that of the UK – and acting against the national interests.

Scotland contributes only 7.7% of the GDP of the whole United Kingdom, according to the Scottish Government's latest “Expenditure & Revenue Scotland (GERS) 2021-22”.

The hard EU realities for Scotland

Excluding North Sea revenue, revenue per person in Scotland is lower than the UK average by £805 in 2021-22. Even including North Sea oil it is still £221 lower per person than the UK average.

Next we look at government spending per person. Scotland spends an average of £17,793 per inhabitant. In the rest of the UK it is £15,830. This means that the SNP government is spending almost £2,000 more per inhabitant than the rest of the UK. This figure would be even greater if looking at the comparison between Scotland and England on its own.

Scotland's exports to the EU represent only 19% of the total

According to the latest figures from HMRC, exports from the UK excluding Scotland were 11.5 times higher than from Scotland itself. More importantly, the EU27 countries are small markets for Scottish exports. Even if considered as a 'bloc', only 19% of Scotland's exports go to the EU. By far the most important market for Scotland is England.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Exports from each of the four nations of the United Kingdom

In £'s billions

England: £539.2
Wales: £23.8
NI: £13.2
TOTAL: £576.2
Scotland: £50.1

[Source: Latest HMRC official data for 2021.]

Scotland's export markets

'The Independence Documentary'

Together with our partners at CIBUK.Org, we've organised a TV-style documentary with a stellar line-up of well-known politicians and all kinds of interesting people, young and old, men and women, white and ethnic origin, presented by Alexandra Phillips. Alex will be known to many readers as an ex-GB News presenter and a frequent sight on everything from Question Time to Talk TV. We have just finished filming - now we we have the long task of editing this month, if we can get some extra funding. This is going to be big!
Please help today if you can: click here to read more

Fisheries - an important Scottish industry would be put in peril once again

If Scotland were to rejoin the EU it would once again be subject to the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, which has decimated Scotland’s fishing industry over many years.

The House of Commons Library reports that just under 70% of economic output from the UK’s fishing and aquaculture industry is generated in Scotland. This includes fishing (inshore and offshore), aquaculture (fish farming) and fish processing (preparing fish for food consumption).

Because of the freedoms of Brexit, the Scottish fisheries industry is expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years but all of this would stop if Scotland were able to join the EU and the progress would then be unravelled.

Finally, exactly how does the SNP propose to manage the border?

If Scotland were to become independent and then join the EU, it is absolutely certain that the EU would insist on a hard border between Scotland and England. Would the Scots Guards man every border crossing? Would English people have to show a passport?

How many Scots would come south in order to buy the cheaper produce in England, once they saw the differential between EU prices with EU import tariffs imposed, and the cheaper alternatives in Brexit Britain?

Observations

In this series of three reports we have shown how the SNP government in Scotland is profligate in its spending of taxpayers’ money. We have further shown how this is subsidised by the English taxpayer.

Today we have demonstrated that this largesse with other people’s money is political, because only 19% of Scottish exports go to the EU. Scotland’s biggest market by far is the rest of the UK.

Finally it must be asked why there is a grand ‘Scotland House’ in Brussels, when there is no ‘England House’, nor a ‘Wales House’, nor a ‘Northern Ireland House’. The three other nations of the United Kingdom are content to have their interests represented by the British Embassy in Brussels. Why not Scotland?

The SNP finds itself currently embroiled in controversy, with its former leader Nicola Sturgeon and former Chairman (Sturgeon’s husband) having been arrested by the police (released without charge but investigations ongoing).

Seemingly the new leader, Hamza Yousaf, is happy to continue burning taxpayers’ money, by holding court in Scotland House this week. If he were serious in showing that the SNP has changed, he would close down this whole expensive operation. Instead they are recruiting five more people.

We find the whole thing thoroughly distasteful.

We must get reports like this out there

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[ Sources: Office for National Statistics | HMRC | Scottish government | House of Commons Library | EU Commission ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 01 Jul 2023

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Reader Comments 18

1. Ashley Great Britain , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 07:12:

Scotland and England have been doing very well and getting on for hundreds of years. Then the EU came along and tries to use Scotland to get at England.
The likes of the snp don't care about the people or freedom, They are working alongside the EU for hidden agenda's.
Although it appears impossible for Scotland to join the EU I'm sure they would bend over backwards to make it happen. They would change The rules and laws to make it so.
That's probably their long term plan. The EU would be very excited to have a mainland border with England. As ever That would be a back door to rule and control of the hated English.
Scotland would replace one for another and be enslaved.
Surely the rest of Britain are their true historic partners.

2. Captain Thunderbolt , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 07:32:

I guess it comes down to how much they think they would receive from the EU for their membership money. obviously, they would become a net beneficiary from the EU
The 2021 EU budget shows Poland receiving €11.9Bn for €5.8Bn in contributions.
Maybe that what is driving the SNP towards the EU but looking at the funding allocation to Scotland in 2021 was a £38 bn convert that to the € is roughly €44Bn not looking so crash hot for the Scots that way either and no more RN shipbuilding.
Sunak should give the Scots the referendum along with a WA beforehand, so the Scottish know exactly what they are voting for.
I even bet my house on the outcome.

3. Sparky , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 09:15:

1 AGB. Scotland has always had an uneasy relationship with England, even forming The Kingdom of Great Britain was a contentious process.
.
I do think you are right about the EU and Scotland.
.
2 CT. Sunak won’t give a referendum, he’s got too many other issues. I do agree that if Scotland does hold a referendum the terms of leaving should be made clear before hand. The Leave campaign should have done that before 2016, but they didn’t because they new they would lose if they had and all the slogans wouldn’t work.
.
Polling before the 2014 independence referendum was not as favourable for independence as it is now. Brexit has given the independence movement fresh impetus to call for a new ref, Scotland largely voted for remain, now they feel disenfranchised.
.
Looks like Labour will form the next UK Govt following the mess the Cons have made with Brexit and the rest. Labour are less likely to resist call for a new ref, may even need to have some sort of partnership with the SNP to form a Govt, the terms of which would be a referendum.
.
Like Northern Ireland, if we see a break up of the United Kingdom it will be a direct consequence of Brexit.
.
Brexit was a campaign not a strategy.

4. Captain Thunderbolt , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 09:52:

2 CT. Sunak won’t give a referendum, he’s got too many other issues. I do agree that if Scotland does hold a referendum the terms of leaving should be made clear before hand. The Leave campaign should have done that before 2016, but they didn’t because they new they would lose if they had and all the slogans wouldn’t work.
-
Different kettle of fish, UK leaving the EU is defined by A50, any future referendum with Scotland will be defined by an act of parliament. If the SNP want the referendum, you think they will say no in regard to conditions.
I don't know why you keep saying leave should have done this or that it was in no position to do any of that, all you have to do is read A50 of the TEU to see that. The UKGov position at the time was remain and as Cameron said it had to negotiate a withdrawal agreement then a new trade agreement. it's a very different position between rUK & Scotland.
Any referendum to leave the UK will have its fair share of "slogans" and mistruths on both sides.

5. Sparky , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 10:46:

4 CT. I agree re A50. So why did Vote Leave state.
.
“After we Vote Leave, we will immediately be able to start negotiating new trade deals which could enter into force straight after the UK leaves the EU”
.
“It is only after informal negotiations with both other EU members and the Commission that issues such as whether and how to use Article 50 will be clear. It makes no sense to trigger Article 50 immediately after the 23 June vote and before extensive preliminary discussions”
.
“'It has been argued that the moment Britain votes to leave a process known as “Article 50” is triggered whereby the clock starts ticking and every aspect of any new arrangement with the EU must be concluded within 2 years of that vote being recorded - or else…
'But there is no requirement for that to occur - quite the opposite. Logically, in the days after a Vote to Leave the Prime Minister would discuss the way ahead with the Cabinet and consult Parliament before taking any significant step.”
.
“It will be possible to strike these agreements quickly. Oxford Economics has said that ‘an analysis of regional trade deals conducted over the past 20 years found an average duration of 28 months’ “
.
And Boris had the poor Australian deal rushed through for headlines.

6. KB , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 11:14:

Ashley GB (1) yes I agree that the EU would bend over backwards to enable Scotland to join. It's true that Spain and other EU countries have their own problems with breakaway states, but I don't think that would stop them. The main reason to get one over on the English of course. Then, there are the oil and gas, the large wind energy resource and the fishing areas that the EU would like to get its hands on.

7. KB , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 11:19:

Captain T (2) Scotland won't be a net beneficiary of EU funding. The gross contribution would be in proportion to its GNI. If we assume that the whole UK contribution would be say £20 billion by now, Scotland's would be roughly 7.7% of that or about £1.5 billion.
Some of that would be paid back in various EU wasteful projects, but they are unlikely to get the "Cohesion funding" that the poorer nations get.

8. KB , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 12:16:

A big problem is the Scottish believe they can walk away without taking any share of the national debt with them.
There is a legal opinion that this is the case.
In other countries, e.g. Canada, there is a secession plan for how the debts and assets shall be apportioned. Why not here ?
Let's face it, Scottish independence is based on them believing they can run off from the English, leaving all their debts behind and be rich from the oil money. England was of course "stealing Scotlands oil". This is what is behind it all. Once that belief is quashed I think it will all go quiet.

9. NH , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 13:37:

8. "A big problem is the Scottish believe they can walk away without taking any share of the national debt with them"
.
I believe it is unlikely the Scotland will become and independent country in the forseeable future. In the event that this did happen it would be in the interests of both parties to have an amicable agreement with a focus on the benefit of future relations. There may be some extreme Scottish Nationalists who want to walk away from their share of UK debt. However there are approximately £5 Trillion of UK pension liabilities for public sector pensions and the state pension. The vast majority of these are unfunded and Scotland's share of these would significantly exceed their share of the National Debt. The legal position on both of these issues does not seem to be very clear.
.
Much of the North Sea Oil is now expensive to produce and, as far as I am aware, most of the Gas fields are in English waters so this is not going to be the "gold mine" that some extreme Nationalists claim.

10. Captain Thunderbolt , Saturday, July 01, 2023, 15:50:

5. Sparky
I have no idea why you keep rehashing this crap, we can all find statements from both remain leave that can reaffirm one's own position.
The damage was done by the Pro-remain by not accepting the result and trying to overturn it and hinder at every step of the process.
In a democracy its loser’s consent. why was it after 41 years the remain vote lost over a million votes. remember the highest turnout of any demographic were those who voted in 75 also voted in 2016. how do you explain that

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